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iSvolution  of 
Iborticulture 
In  IFlew 


H)anf  el  S>enf  son  Slabe 


New  York  and  London :  O.  IP, 
(putnam'e  Sone  *  tt 
New  RocheUe,  N.  Y.  The 
Knickerbocker  Press.  •£  1805 


COPYRIGHT,  1895 

BY 

DANIEL  DENISON  SLADE 
Entered  at  Stationers'  Hally  London 


Ube  imicfcerbocfcer  press,  -flew  IRocbcIlc,  VL  H?, 


"lyet  us  not,  then,  lament  over  the  decay  and 
oblivion  into  which  ancient  writers  descend: 
they  do  but  submit  to  the  great  law  of  nature, 
which  declares  that  all  sublunary  shapes  of 
matter  shall  be  limited  in  their  duration,  but 
which  decrees,  also,  that  their  elements  shall 
never  perish.  Generation  after  generation,  both 
in  animal  and  vegetable  life,  passes  away,  but 
the  vital  principle  is  transmitted  to  posterity, 
and  the  species  continue  to  flourish.  Thus,  also, 
do  authors  beget  authors,  and  having  produced  a 
numerous  progeny,  in  a  good  old  age  they  sleep 
with  their  fathers,  that  is  to  say,  with  the 
authors  who  preceded  them — and  from  whom 
they  had  stolen." 

W.  IRVING. 


M'706'508 


CONTENTS. 


NOTE    .      .„,   .- 
PRELIMINARIES 


THE   EVOLUTION  OF  HORTICULTURE 
IN  NEW  ENGLAND: 

I. — THE    EARLIEST   COLONIES   IN   NEW 

ENGLAND    .         .         .         .         .        .    47 

II. — THE  COLONIES  OF  MASSACHUSETTS 

BAY       .     '"i        .        .        ,        »        .    67 


NOTE. 

THE  object  of  this  volume  is  to 
present,  in  a  concise  and  attract- 
ive form,  the  history  of  the  art  of 
gardening,  as  it  has  been  evolved  in  New 
England  from  its  earliest  plantations  to 
the  present  day. 

Numerous  as  have  been  the  publications 
upon  horticulture  and  agriculture  during 
late  years,  with  the  exception  of  the  intro- 
ductory chapter  to  the  History  of  the 
Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society  pub- 
lished in  1880,  which  embraces  a  record 
of  horticulture  in  the  United  States  up  to 
the  year  1829,  I  am  not  aware  that  a  simi- 
lar record,  so  far  as  it  relates  solely  to 
New  England,  has  been  offered  to  the 
public. 

The  above  mentioned  interesting  chap- 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


ter,  compiled  by  Mr.  Robert  Manning, 
the  present  efficient  Secretary  of  the  So- 
ciety, is  invaluable,  and  to  this  I  am  in- 
debted for  material  that  had  escaped  my 
previous  researches,  at  least  so  far  as 
these  refer  to  the  Eastern  States. 

In  the  preparation  of  these  pages,  I 
have  endeavored  to  exercise  that  patience, 
diligence,  and  care  which  an  interest  in 
any  art  or  science  should  always  com- 
mand. 

If  the  reader  should  discover  certain 
extraneous  threads  interwoven  in  the 
fabric,  the  presence  of  which  has  not  been 
recognized  by  me,  he  may  safely  impute 
the  oversight  to  negligence  rather  than  to 
deliberate  literary  theft. 

Whatever  may  be  its  valuation,  and 
however  egotistical  it  may  seem  to  speak 
the  truth,  its  fabrication  has  afforded  a 
source  of  great  pleasure  in  comparatively 
leisure  hours,  and  has  awakened  an  in- 
creased interest  in  all  that  pertains 
directly  or  indirectly  to  horticulture.  If 
it  should  exert  in  any  way  a  similar  effect 


1Fn  Iftew  BngianD 


upon  the  minds  of  other  individuals,  how- 
ever extended  or  limited  may  be  their 
knowledge  of  the  unfolding  of  the  gar- 
dening art  in  England,  it  has  answered 
the  purpose  in  view. 


PRELIMINARIES. 

THE  relations  which  the  New  Eng- 
land settlers  held  to  nations  of 
which  they  were  direct  descend- 
ants,   necessitate    consideration    of  the 
gradual    evolution    of  horticulture,  not 
only  as  it  refers  to  them  and  their  imme- 
diate predecessors,  but  even  to  the  earliest 
historical  record  of  man. 

The  term  horticulture  is  applied  to  the 
cultivation  of  fruit,  vegetables,  herbs,  or 
flowers,  within  a  limited  space  or  enclo- 
sure commonly  called  a  garden.  The 
English  word  garden  is  derived  from  the 
Anglo-Saxon  gyrdan,  to  gird  in  or  en- 
close. Orchard  had  its  origin  in  ort 
geard,  an  enclosure  for  fruit  trees.  Wyri 
geardy  signified  a  garden  for  any  kind  of 
vegetable  or  herb. 

5 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


That  horticulture  preceded  agriculture 
may  be  inferred  from  the  history  of  the 
human  race.  The  Scriptures  say  :  "  The 
Lord  God  planted  a  garden  eastward  in 
Eden,  and  there  he  put  the  man  that  he 
had  formed.  .  .  .  And  the  Lord  God 
took  the  man  and  put  him  into  the  garden 
to  dress  it  and  to  keep  it."  Whatever 
construction  may  be  put  upon  the  story 
as  presented  to  us  in  Genesis,  it  is  reason- 
able to  conclude  that  our  first  parents 
were  placed  in  Paradise  to  practise  horti- 
culture. This  was  their  occupation,  and 
continued  to  be  that  of  their  immediate 
descendants,  and  undoubtedly  of  all  East- 
ern nations  for  an  indefinite  period.  The 
attention  of  man  was  at  first  specially  di- 
rected to  the  cultivation  of  fruits ;  they 
were  mostly  fruit  eaters,  and  as  the  Ori- 
ental nations  long  remained  stationary, 
and  the  value  of  property  and  the  conse- 
quent necessity  of  enclosing  their  culti- 
vated lands  thus  gradually  became 
appreciated,  gardens  were  formed,  in 
which  were  planted  fruit  trees  and  par- 
6 


Un 


ticularly  the  vine.  Those  devoted  solely 
to  the  latter  were  termed  vineyards,  for 
the  protection  of  which  special  laws  were 
instituted,  on  account  of  the  value  of  their 
produce  and  the  nature  of  its  properties, 
which  experience  soon  taught  the  people. 
The  qualities  of  various  herbs,  among 
these  vegetables,  sooner  or  later  became 
recognized  as  articles  of  food,  and  grad- 
ually led  to  their  culture,  also  in  enclosed 
lots.  Of  these  facts  the  Scriptures  fully 
inform  us. 

Thus  commenced  the  art  of  gardening, 
which  at  first  was  conducted  by  means 
of  the  most  primitive  tool,  such  as  a 
pointed  stick  would  provide,  and  by 
which  the  useless  and  undesirable  plants 
known  as  weeds  could  be  eradicated.  In 
due  time,  the  scarcity  of  food  led  to  the 
discovery  and  great  value  of  cereals,  and 
the  demand  for  greater  quantities  of  these 
would  tend  to  the  extension  of  the  areas 
of  cultivation  and  easier  means  of  pro- 
duction. Hence  the  pointed  stick  selected 
was  of  larger  dimensions,  and  rendered 
7 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


more  manageable  by  the  addition  of 
handles  at  one  end,  while  at  the  other,  by 
the  attachment  of  a  domesticated  animal, 
it  was  propelled  through  the  soil;  by  these 
means  thus  enabling  man  to  till  larger 
districts — in  other  words,  to  convert  him 
into  an  agriculturist  or  cultivator  of 
fields. 

Thus  agriculture,  as  it  provides  food  in 
sufficient  quantities  adapted  to  the  wants 
of  man,  may  in  a  certain  sense  be  consid- 
ered to  precede  horticulture  and  to  be  its 
parent.  On  the  other  hand,  since  Agri- 
culture, historically  considered,  was 
evolved  from  the  art  of  gardening,  as  has 
been  shown,  the  latter  should  enjoy  this 
distinction  of  parentage. 

Horticulture,  in  fine,  is  the  perfection 
of  agriculture,  as  it  supplies  luxuries, 
and  therefore,  in  the  language  of  Win- 
throp, l  is  emphatically  the  fine  art  of 
common  life.  "  It  is  eminently  a  repub- 
lican fine  art;  its  implements  may  be 

TR.  C.  Winthrop.  Speech  at  anniversary  of 
Society,  1848. 

8 


f  n  Bew  BnglanD 


wielded  by  every  arm,  and  its  results  be 
appreciated  by  every  eye. ' '  When  the  pre- 
cision and  care  which  now  marks  this 
art  are  manifested  in  all  the  operationsof 
the  agriculturist,  then,  eventually,  the 
whole  world  will  become  a  garden. 

As  Sir  William  Temple  says:  "The 
use  of  gardens  seems  to  have  been  the 
most  ancient  and  most  general  of  any 
sorts  of  possession  among  mankind  and 
so  have  preceded  those  of  corn  or  cattle 
as  yielding  the  easier,  the  pleasanter,  and 
most  natural  food.  If  we  believe  the 
Scriptures  we  must  allow  that  God  Al- 
mighty esteemed  the  life  of  a  man  in  a 
garden  the  happiest  He  could  give  him, 
or  else  He  would  not  have  placed  Adam 
in  that  of  Eden  ;  and  that  the  life  of  hus- 
bandry and  cities  came  after  the  Fall,  with 
guilt  and  with  labor." 

The  Egyptians,  Medes,  Chaldeans,  Per- 
sians, Greeks,  and  Romans  were  essen- 
tially part  and  parcel  of  the  Oriental  stock. 
Of  some  of  these,  as  regards  their  prac- 
tices in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  we 
9 


Evolution  of  Iborttculture 


have  but  meagre  information.  It  is  reason- 
able to  suppose  that  most,  if  not  all,  pur- 
sued the  same  course,  modified  by  changes 
dependent  upon  their  habits  and  surround- 
ings. The  evolution  of  horticulture,  how- 
ever, undoubtedly  made  gradual  and 
steady  improvement,  as  is  evident  from 
the  reliable  writings  of  the  poets,  histori- 
ans, and  statesmen  among  the  Greeks 
and  Romans. 

Two  centuries  after  Solomon,  Homer 
describes  the  gardens  of  the  Grecians,  in 
which  they  cultivated  fruits,  herbs,  vege- 
tables, and  flowers.  In  their  mythology, 
of  which  there  is  much  that  is  poetical 
and  interesting,  not  only  flowers  but  trees 
and  ornamental  shrubs  were  sacred  to 
their  deities.  "  Most  of  the  flowers  culti- 
vated, moreover,  suggested  poetical  or 
mythological  associations :  for  the  reli- 
gion of  Greece  combined  itself  with 
nearly  every  object  in  nature,  more  par- 
ticularly with  the  beautiful,  so  that  the 
Greek,  as  he  strolled  through  his  garden, 
had  perpetually  before  his  fancy  a  succes- 
10 


1Fn  flew  Bnglanfc 


sion  of  fables  connected  with  nymphs 
and  goddesses  and  the  old  hereditary 
traditions  of  his  country.  Thus  the  laurel 
recalled  the  tale  and  transformation  of 
Daphne,  the  object  of  Apollo's  love — 
the  cypresses  or  graces  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom  were  the  everlasting  represen- 
tatives of  Bteocles'  daughters,  visited  by 
death  because  they  dared  to  rival  the  god- 
desses in  dancing — the  myrtle  was  a  most 
beautiful  maiden  of  Attica,  fairer  than  all 
her  countrywomen,  swifter  and  more 
patient  of  toil  than  the  youth,  who  there- 
fore slew  her  through  envy — the  pine 
was  the  tall  and  graceful  mistress  of  Pan 
and  Boreas— the  mint  that  of  Pluto- 
while  the  rose-campion  sprung  from  the 
bath  of  Aphrodite,  and  the  humble  cab- 
bage from  the  tears  of  Lycurgus,  the 
enemy  of  Dionysos."  l 

Constant  use  was  also  made  of  flowers 
and  ornamental  shrubs  in  garlands  and 
crowns  which  were  worn  upon  the  head 

1 J.  A.  St.  John,  Manners  and  Customs  of 
Ancient  Greece. 

II 


Evolution  of  Horticulture 


in  many  civil  and  religious  ceremonies. 
Although  our  knowledge  concerning  their 
skill  and  practical  acquaintance  with 
horticulture  is  imperfect,  yet  the  disposi- 
tion of  their  gardens,  orchards,  and  vine- 
yards in  the  best  ages  of  the  nation,  show 
a  most  remarkable  scientific  advance  in 
all  that  pertains  to  the  art.  Mr.  St.  John 
in  his  admirable  History  of  the  Manners 
and  Customs  of  Ancient  Greece^  draws 
"by  the  aid  of  scattered  hints,  chance 
expressions,  fragments,  and  a  careful 
study  of  the  natural  and  invariable  pro- 
ductions of  the  country,"  a  most  pleasing 
picture,  of  which  a  few  paragraphs  are 
given,  that  certainly  both  in  style  and 
description  serve  as  a  model  for  imitation. 
"  That  portion  of  the  ground  which  was 
devoted  to  the  culture  of  sweet-smelling 
shrubs  and  flowers  usually  approached 
and  projected  inwards  between  the  back 
wings  of  the  house,  so  that  from  the  win- 
dows the  eye  might  alight  upon  the  rich 
and  variegated  tints  of  the  parterres  inter- 
mingled with  verdure,  while  the  evening 
12 


f  n  IRew 


and  morning  breeze  wafted  clouds  of  fra- 
grance into  the  apartments.  The  lawns, 
shrubberies,  bouquets,  thickets,  arcades, 
and  avenues  were,  in  most  cases,  laid  out 
in  a  picturesque  though  artificial  manner, 
the  principal  object  appearing  to  have 
been  to  combine  use  with  magnificence, 
and  to  enjoy  all  the  blended  hues  and 
odors  which  the  plants  and  trees  accli- 
mated in  Hellas  could  afford.  Protection 
in  summer  from  the  sun's  rays  is,  in  those 
southern  latitudes,  an  almost  necessary 
ingredient  of  pleasure,  and  therefore 
numerous  trees  rose  here  and  there  in  the 
ground  in  some  places  singly,  elsewhere 
in  clumps,  uniting  their  branches  above, 
and  affording  a  cool  and  dense  shade. 
Beneath  these  umbrageous  arches,  the 
air  was  further  refrigerated  by  splashing 

c 

fountains,  whose  waters,  through  numer- 
ous fair  channels,  straight  or  winding,  as 
the  use  of  them  demanded,  spread  them- 
selves over  the  whole  garden,  refreshing 
the  eye  and  keeping  up  a  perpetual  ver- 
dure. Copses  of  myrtles,  of  roses,  of 
13 


Evolution  of  Horticulture 


agnus-castus,  and  other  odoriferous  shrubs 
intermingled,  clustering  round  a  pome- 
granate tree,  were  usually  placed  on  ele- 
vated spots,  that,  being  thus  exposed  to 
the  winds,  they  might  the  more  freely 
diffuse  their  sweetness.  The  spaces  be- 
tween trees  were  sometimes  planted  with 
roses  and  lilies  and  violets  and  golden 
crocuses :  and  sometimes  presented  a 
breadth  of  smooth,  close,  green  sward, 
sprinkled  with  wild  flowers,  as  the  violet 
and  the  blue  veronica,  the  pink  and  the 
pale  primrose,  the  golden  motherwort, 
the  cowslip,  the  daisy,  the  pimpernel,  and 
the  periwinkle. 

"  In  many  gardens  the  custom  was  to 
plant  each  kind  of  tree  in  separate  groups, 
and  each  species  of  flower-bed  also  had, 
as  now  in  Holland,  a  distinct  space  as- 
signed to  it ;  so  that  there  were  beds  of 
white  violets,  of  irises,  of  the  golden 
cynosure,  of  hyacinths,  of  ranunculuses, 
of  the  blue  campanula,  of  white  gilli- 
flowers,  and  the  branchy  asphodel. " 

The  Romans  practised  very  much  the 
14 


f  n  IRew  BnglanD 


same  course  in  horticulture  as  did  the 
Grecians,  and  for  our  knowledge  upon 
this  point  we  are  indebted  to  Cato, 
Varro,  Palladius,  Tacitus,  Virgil,  Colu- 
mella,  Martial,  the  younger  Pliny,  and 
others.  According  to  Cato,  many  of  the 
wealthy  had  their  vegetable  gardens  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Rome,  from  which 
they  received  their  supplies  of  this  nature, 
which  were  abundant  and  of  excellent 
quality.  Cato  enumerates  many  of  these 
vegetables  which  are  familiarily  known 
to  us,  and  gives  advice  as  to  their  proper 
cultivation.  Especially  is  this  the  case 
with  asparagus,  for  which  he  gives  full 
directions  for  the  formation  of  the  bed, 
the  proper  distance  between  the  plants, 
the  time  and  mode  of  weeding  and  of 
"plucking."  Nearly  all,  especially  the 
later  writers,  Columella,  Varro,  and  Vir- 
gil, also  make  mention  of  the  more  com- 
mon vegetables,  among  which  lettuce, 
beets,  peas,  beans,  carrots,  parsnips, 
onions,  parsley,  and  cucumbers  are  con- 
spicuous. Both  Cato  and  Palladius  give 
15 


Evolution  of  Iborttculture 


advice  as  to  the  proper  situation  of  a  gar- 
den, which  should  have  a  southern  aspect, 
and  be  amply  supplied  with  water.  In 
the  earlier  eras  of  the  nation,  the  vegeta- 
ble and  fruit  gardens  were  confined  with- 
in a  single  enclosure,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  time  of  the  younger  Pliny,  that  sepa- 
ration of  the  two  was  effected.  To  the 
fruit  garden  or  orchard  the  Romans  were 
particularly  devoted,  and  cultivated  not 
only  the  indigenous  fruits,  but  soon  intro- 
duced many  from  foreign  regions,  as  the 
cherry  from  Pontus,  the  fig  and  almond 
from  Syria,  and  the  various  "  mala," 
comprehending  apples,  pears,  pomegran- 
ates, quinces,  and  oranges  from  different 
parts  of  Asia. 

Cato  gives  many  varieties  of  the  differ- 
ent fruits,  especially  of  the  vine,  and  di- 
rections for  their  proper  management,  as 
also  for  grafting,  budding,  and  pruning. 

The  culture  of  flowers  among  the  Ro- 
mans, as  among  the  Grecians,  was  at  first 
confined  to  the  enclosure  which  contained 
the  vegetables  and  fruits.  As  wealth  in- 
16 


In  Bcw  BnglanD 


creased,  however,  and  the  people  became 
more  refined,  the  residences  in  the  suburbs 
of  Rome  were  judged  suitable  only  for 
farming  purposes,  and  their  owners 
erected  costly  villas  more  remote,  in 
connection  with  which  were  the  pleasure 
grounds,  containing  all  that  pertained  to 
embellishment :  as  flower-beds,  walks, 
statuary,  fountains,  shrubbery,  and  vari- 
ous shade  trees.  The  accounts  which 
have  come  down  to  us  of  the  magnifi- 
cence of  these  villas  and  their  pleasure 
grounds  both  within  and  without  the 
city  seem  almost  incredible.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned  those  of  Cicero, 
Sallust,  and  Lucullus.  Plutarch  thus 
speaks  of  the  Lucullian  gardens  :  "I 
give  no  higher  name  to  his  sumptuous 
buildings,  porticos  and  baths,  still  less  to 
his  paintings  and  sculptures,  and  all  his 
industry  about  these  curiosities,  which 
he  collected  with  vast  expense,  lavishly 
bestowing  all  the  wealth  and  treasure 
which  he  got  in  the  war  upon  them,  in- 
somuch that  even  now,  with  all  the  ad- 
2  17 


^Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


vance  of  luxury,  the  Lucullian  gardens 
are  counted  the  noblest  the  emperor  has. 
Tubero  the  stoic,  when  he  saw  his  build- 
ings at  Naples,  where  he  suspended  the 
hills  upon  vast  tunnels,  brought  in  the 
sea  for  moats  and  fish-ponds  round  his 
house,  and  built  pleasure-houses  in  the 
waters,  called  him  Xerxes  in  a  gown. 
He  had  also  fine  seats  in  Tusculum,  bel- 
vederes, and  large  open  balconies  for 
men's  apartments,  and  porticos  to  walk 
in,  where  Pompey,  coming  to  see  him, 
blamed  him  for  making  a  house  which 
would  be  pleasant  in  summer  but  unin- 
habitable in  winter  ;  whom  he  answered, 
with  a  smile  :  *  You  think  me,  then,  less 
provident  than  cranes  and  storks,  not  to 
change  my  home  with  the  season.'  " 

The  description  of  the  Roman  gardens 
by  Pliny  the  younger  should  not  be 
overlooked.  In  their  situation  and  adorn- 
ment they  equalled  and  even  excelled 
those  of  any  nation  in  modern  days.  In 
a  letter  to  a  friend  he  describes  the  char- 
acteristics of  the  gardens  attached  to  his 
18 


1Tn  IRew 


Tuscan  villa,  which  were  those  that 
strongly  marked  the  art  at  the  time,  and 
which  continued  for  centuries.  The  ex- 
cavations at  Herculaneum  have  revealed 
to  us,  by  means  of  the  paintings  there 
discovered,  the  appearance  that  the  gar- 
dens of  the  townsmen  presented.  These, 
although  small  and  hedged  about  in  vari- 
ous ways,  were  adorned  according  to  the 
prevailing  taste  with  urns,  fountains, 
statues,  etc.,  while  at  the  windows  of  the 
houses  were  boxes  and  pots  of  flowers. 

Our  knowledge  of  the  variety  of  flowers 
recognized  or  cultivated  by  the  Romans 
is  meagre.  Livy,  in  describing  the  gar- 
den of  Tarquin  the  Proud,  as  it  existed 
two  hundred  years  after  the  foundation 
of  Rome,  speaks  of  beds  of  roses,  lilies, 
poppies, and  various  sweet-smelling  herbs. 

Virgil,  in  his  fourth  Georgia,  most 
charmingly  introduces,  in  his  gracefully 
measured  verses,  his  old  friend  Corycius 
at  work  in  his  garden  cultivating  the 
roses  which  bore  their  blossoms  twice  in 
a  year,  the  narcissus,  white  lilies,  pop- 


Evolution  of  Dotticultute 


pies,  the  savory  and  flowering  herbs,-— 
and  these  too  upon  land  unfitted  for 
other  purposes,  thus  showing  to  his 
countrymen  how  much  happiness  could 
be  derived  from  humble  source. 

"  'T  is  great  pity  the  haste,  which  Vir- 
gil seems  here  to  have  been  in,  should  have 
hindered  him  from  entering  farther  into 
the  account  or  instructions  of  gardening, 
which  he  said  he  could  have  given,  and 
which  he  seems  to  have  esteemed  and 
loved,  by  that  admirable  picture  of  that 
old  man's  felicity,  which  he  draws,  like  so 
great  a  master,  with  one  stroke  of  a  pen- 
cil, in  those  four  words  :  Regum  tzquabat 
opes  animis.  That  in  the  midst  of  those 
small  possessions,  upon  a  few  acres  of 
barren  ground,  yet  he  equalled  all  the 
wealth  and  opulence  of  kings,  in  the 
ease,  content,  and  freedom  of  his  mind.'1 

At  the  invasion  of  Britain  by  the 
Romans,  it  has  been  stated  that  the  in- 
habitants of  that  country,  depending 
chiefly  upon  the  chase  and  the  herds 
•which  they  raised,  cultivated  no  cereals. 
20 


fn  IRew 


This,  however,  is  an  error,  if  we  may 
judge  from  the  descriptions  given  of  them 
and  their  -  contemporaries,  the  Gallic 
nation,  by  Pliny.  As  to  their  horticul- 
ture, our  knowledge  is  imperfect,  but  we 
may  infer  from  the  fact  that  certain  plants 
were  cultivated  by  the  Druids  for  their 
medicinal  qualities,  that  the  art  of  garden- 
ing, to  a  certain  extent,  was  very  early 
practised. 

Strabo l  informs  us  that  the  Southern 
Britons  had  gardens  immediately  about 
their  houses,  combining  both  vegetable 
and  orchard  departments.  Certain  fruits, 
especially  apples,  were  known  to  the 
Britons,  while  others,  especially  the  vine, 
were  introduced  by  the  Romans.  In  re- 
gard to  flowers,  it  is  probable  that  several, 
previously  unknown  to  the  Britons,  were 
introduced  by  their  conquerors.  Among 
these  were  the  rose  and  the  violet.  The 
same  may  be  said  in  relation  to  many 
vegetables. 

After  the  departure  of  the  Romans  and 
1  Strabo's  Geography. 
21 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


the  settlement  of  the  Saxons,  the  intro- 
duction of  Christianity,  in  due  time,  had 
the  tendency  to  mollify  the  habits  of  the 
people,  and  thus  to  encourage  the  pro- 
gress of  the  arts.  Horticulture  served  to 
employ  the  otherwise  unoccupied  hours 
of  many,  especially  of  those  connected 
with  monasteries  and  other  religious  in- 
stitutions, and  also  to  encourage  and  foster 
the  use  of  vegetable  in  place  of  animal 
food,  which  the  rules  of  fasting  forbade. 
With  the  vegetable  gardens,  the  ecclesi- 
astics cultivated  orchards  and  vineyards. 
The  vine,  brought  to  the  country  by  the 
Romans,  was  generally  successful  and  by 
no  means  despised  for  the  qualities  of  its 
fruit,  either  by  the  monasteries  or  by  the 
laity.  These  vineyards  were  flourishing 
in  certain  parts  of  Britain,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  eighth  century.  Dur- 
ing the  Danish  and  Norman  dynasties, 
the  progress  of  horticulture  continued  for 
the  most  part  unimpaired,  until  retarded 
by  the  introduction  of  the  oppressive 
Forest  I/aws. 

22 


tfn 


From  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  to  the 
accession  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  the  art  of 
gardening  advanced  gradually  but  stead- 
ily, in  spite  of  the  opposition  presented 
by  foreign  and  civil  war,  by  the  crusades, 
and  by  the  tastes  of  the  people  for  hunt- 
ing and  chivalry.  Attempts  at  embel- 
lishment were  at  first  limited  to  the  space 
within  the  glacis  of  the  castellated  dwell- 
ings, or  at  most  to  the  immediately  ad- 
jacent grounds,  and  consisted  of  a  few 
flowers,  of  trees  and  shrubs  cut  into  fan- 
tastic shapes,  together  with  labyrinths 
and  bowers.  Botany,  as  a  systematic 
science,  could  scarcely  be  said  to  exist 
previous  to  the  days  of  Elizabeth,  but 
now,  aided  by  other  arts  and  sciences, 
rapid  steps  were  tending  to  the  attainment 
of  a  knowledge  so  essential  to  horticul- 
ture. A  praiseworthy  example  had  pre- 
viously been  set  in  this  direction  by 
several  continental  powers  who  had 
established  public  gardens  and  founded 
professorships  for  the  purpose.  Not  only 
the  study  of  botany  was  thus  encouraged, 
23 


Bvolution  of  Iborticulture 


but  new  fruits,  vegetables,  plants,  espe- 
cially various  flowers,  were  introduced 
into  Britain  from  foreign  countries.  An 
increased  taste  for  the  art  was  also  shown 
by  the  enlargement  and  the  greater  num- 
ber of  the  pleasure  gardens  and  grounds, 
which  although  still  exhibiting  the 
formality  and  stiffness  which  character- 
ized them,  and  which  continued  even  up 
to  the  eighteenth  century,  nevertheless 
presented  much  that  was  pleasing  in  their 
general  features,  especially  when  seen  in 
connection  with  the  architectural  style 
of  the  day. 

Previous  to  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  the  writings  of  several  literary 
men  upon  subjects  pertaining  to  the  art 
of  horticulture  had  served  to  awaken  and 
increase  the  interest  in  this  among  the 
people  of  Britain.  During  the  two  fol- 
lowing centuries,  especially  in  the  Eliza- 
bethan reign,  a  host  of  authors  appeared, 
whose  works  are  chiefly  the  results  of 
their  own  investigations  and  experience 
as  practical  gardeners,  botanists,  herbal- 
24 


•ffn  IRew 


ists,  and  chemists.  Among  these  maybe 
mentioned  Thomas  Hill,  Maschal,  Platt, 
Heresbach,  Gerarde,  Lawson,  Markham, 
Wotton,  Parkinson,  Tradescant,  Evelyn, 
Worlidge,  Lord  Bacon,  and  Sir  William 
Temple. 

It  is  from  the  works  of  these  men  that 
a  sufficiently  complete  knowledge  of  the 
condition  of  the  art  of  gardening,  during 
the  period  that  has  just  been  considered, 
may  be  obtained.  "When  we  cast  our 
eyes  over  a  list  of  the  men  of  science  and 
literature  of  all  denominations  that 
adorned  this  age,  especially  in  botany  and 
chemistry,  the  two  sciences  of  all  others 
the  most  important  to  horticulture,  we 
shall  not  be  surprised  to  find  how  rapidly 
it  was  rising  from  being  a  mere  art  of 
empiricism.  And  when  we  note  how  the 
thirst  for  foreign  researches  was  preva- 
lent, we  shall  easily  perceive  by  what 
means  new  plants  were  gained  to  every 
department  of  our  art."  l 

1  History  of  English  Gardening^  by  G.  W.  John- 
son. London,  1829. 

25 


Bvolutfon  of  Ibortfcultute 


During  the  Stuart  dynasty  and  the 
succeeding  reigns  up  to  the  present  day, 
horticulture  in  all  its  branches,  has  made 
the  most  extraordinary  progress,  not 
only  in  Britain  and  in  Europe,  but 
throughout  the  world.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  its  immediate  connection  and  in- 
fluence upon  the  evolution  of  the  art  in 
New  England,  which  will  in  turn  receive 
due  consideration,  space  does  not  permit 
one  to  enter  into  details  to  any  extent. 
As  the  writings  of  some  of  the  authors, 
whose  names  have  been  given  above, 
were  more  or  less  familiar  to  the  early 
settlers  of  the  New  World,  previous  to 
their  departure  from  the  mother  country, 
and  who  afterwards  consulted  them  as 
guides  in  the  art  of  gardening,  in  their 
new  homes,  a  few  of  these  may  be  here 
briefly  noticed. 

JOHN  GERARDE  was  born  in  1545,  was 
educated  as  a  surgeon,  and  attained  to 
eminence  in  the  profession.  His  tastes, 
however,  afterwards  led  him  to  the  study 
and  cultivation  of  plants,  in  the  number 
26 


1Fn  Iftew 


and  species  of  which,  his  garden  at  Hoi- 
born  probably  exceeded  any  then  in 
England.  As  a  practical  botanist,  he 
certainly  held  a  high  position.  His 
Herbal  or  General  History  of  Plants  was 
published  in  1597.  The  work  is  divided 
into  three  books:  (i)  "Grasses,  Grain, 
Reeds,  and  Bulbous  -  Rooted  Plants"; 
(2)  "  Herbs  Used  for  Food,  Medicine,  or 
Ornament"  ;  (3)  "Trees,  Shrubs,  Fruits, 
Roses,  Heaths,  Mosses,  and  Sea  Plants." 
It  continued  to  be  considered  the  standard 
authority  in  botany  for  more  than  a 
century.  Gerarde  died  in  1607.  His  life 
was  a  most  useful  one  to  his  countrymen. 
WIUJAM  LAWSON,  of  whose  career  we 
know  little,  except  that  he  undoubtedly 
wrote  from  his  own  experience,  published 
several  works.  Among  these  were :  A 
New  Orchard  and  Garden :  or  the  best 
way  for  planting *,  graffing,  and  to  make 
any  ground  good  for  a  rich  orchard :  with 
the  country  Housewife* s  garden,  for  herbs 
of  common  use :  their  Virtues,  Seasons, 
Profits,  Ornaments  :  Whereunto  is  newly 
27 


Evolution  of  Horticulture 


added  the  art  of  propagating  Plants,  with 
the  true  ordering  of  all  manner  of  Fruits > 
in  their  gathering,  carrying  home,  and 
preservation.  I^ondon,  1615.  Gardener's 
Kitchen  Garden,  1599.  The  Fruiterer's 
Secrets,  1604. 

GERVASE  MARKHAM  was  born  about  the 
middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  in  Not- 
tinghamshire. He  wrote  several  volumes, 
and  among  these  were  the  following : 
The  English  Husbandman  .  .  .  Together 
with  the  Art  of  Planting,  Grafting,  and 
Gardening,  1613.  The  Country  House- 
wife's Garden,  1623. 

JOHN  PARKINSON  was  born  in  1567,  and 
was  at  first  an  apothecary,  but  became  a 
noted  horticulturist  and  botanist.  He 
was  created  Royal  Herbalist  by  Charles 
I.  His  first  publication,  which  was 
dedicated  to  the  Queen,  was  Paradisus 
terestris,  or  a  garden  of  all  sorts  of 
pleasant  flowers  which  our  English  ayre 
will  permitt  to  be  noursed  up,  with  a 
kitchen  garden  of  all  manner  of  herbes, 
roolesy  and  fruites  for  meate  or  sause, 
28 


1fn  IRew 


used  with  us,  and  an  orchard  of  all  sorte 
offruite  bearing  trees  and  shrubbes fit  for 
our  land:  together  with  the  right  order- 
inge>  planting^  and  preserving  of  them, 
and  their  uses  and  vertues. 

The  contents  of  this  book  do  not  in  any 
way  belie  its  title,  for  in  its  pages  are 
given  original,  practical  directions  not 
only  for  the  proper  situation,  nature  of 
the  soil,  form  and  laying  out  of  a  garden, 
but  for  the  kind  and  cultivation  of  every 
flower,  vegetable,  and  fruit  which  could 
be  "noursed  up  by  English  ayre,"  but 
equally  well  by  that  of  New  England. 
His  work  was  undoubtedly  well  known 
and  fully  appreciated  by  our  remote 
grandmothers  on  these  rugged  shores. 

Parkinson  also  published  a  botanical 
book  entited,  Theatrum  Botanicum  or 
A  Theatre  of  Plants^  for  which  was  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  title  royal.  The 
year  of  his  death  is  uncertain,  but  it  was 
about  1656. 

Sir  HUGH  Pi,ATT  was  by  profession  a 
lawyer,  but  was  very  enthusiastic  in  his 
29 


Evolution  of  Horticulture 


love  for  horticulture,  corresponding  large- 
ly with  those  interested  in  the  subject, 
and  making  careful  experiments  in  his 
garden  in  St.  Martin's  Lane,  London. 
Among  other  works,  he  published :  A 
short  Instruction  very  profitable  and 
necessary,  for  all  those  that  delight  in 
Gardening,  to  know  the  time  and  season 
when  it  is  good  to  sow  and  replant 
all  manner  of  seeds.  Whereunto  is  an- 
nexed, divers  plots  both  for  planting  and 
graffing  for  the  better  ease  of  the  Gar- 
dener, 1592.  The  Paradise  of  Flora,  1600. 
The  Garden  of  Eden,  or  an  accurate 
description  of  all  Flowers  and  Fruits  now 
growing  in  England,  with  particular 
rules  how  to  advance  their  nature  and 
growth,  as  well  in  seeds  and  hearbes,  as 
the  secret  ordering  of  Trees  and  Plants. 

Platt's  death  occurred  in  the  early  part 
of  the  seventeenth  century. 

CONRAD  HERESBACH  was  born  in  1508. 

Among   other  works,    his    Rei  Rusticez 

libri  quatuor  was  first  published  in  1570. 

It  was  afterwards  translated  and  published 

30 


1Fn 


by  his  friend,  the  poet  Barnaby  Googe, 
in  1578.  It  is  entitled,  Foure  Bookes  of 
Husbandrie,  containing  the  whole  art 
and  trade  of  Husbandrie,  Gardening, 
Graffeing,  and  Planting,  with  the  an- 
tiquitie  and  commendation  thereof. 
Another  edition  appeared,  with  additions 
by  Gervase  Markham,  in  1614.  The  work 
is  expressed  in  dialogue  form,  and  to  this 
-we  are  probably  indebted  for  Isaac  Wal- 
ton's charming,  descriptive  volume,  The 
Compleat  Angler  or  The  Contemplative 
Marts  Recreation.  In  the  first  book, 
Heresbach  speaks  of  husbandry.  In  the 
second,  after  a  discussion  upon  the  an- 
tiquity of  horticulture,  he  treats  of  gar- 
dens, orchards,  and  woods,  giving  a 
complete  list  of  the  herbs,  vegetables, 
and  small  fruits  as  then  known,  the 
pruning  and  care  of  trees,  as  also  the 
cultivation  of  timber.  He  next  dis- 
courses upon  such  flowers  as  are  grown 
for  pleasure,  among  which  he  mentions 
the  lavender,  cotton,  gilliflowers,  roses, 
lilies,  and  violets,  giving  also  directions 


^Evolution  of  Iborttculture 


for  destroying  their  parasites.  As  to  the 
origin  of  the  vine,  upon  the  culture  of 
which  he  enlarges,  Heresbach  uses  the 
following  quaint  language  :  "  We  that  are 
taught  by  God's  holy  worde,  doe  know 
that  it  was  first  found  out  by  the  Patriarke 
Noah,  immediately  after  the  drowning  of 
the  world:  It  may  be  the  Wine  was 
before  that  time,  though  the  planting  & 
the  use  thereof  was  not  then  knowne. 
The  heathen  both  most  falsely  &  very 
fondly,  as  in  many  other  things,  doe  give 
the  invention  of  the  same  unto  the  God 
Bacchus.  But  Noah  lived  many  yeeres 
before  either  Bacchus,  Saturnus,  or 
Uranius  were  borne." 

This  edition  was  popular,  and  must  have 
been  well  known  and  appreciated  by 
those  interested  in  horticulture,  either  in 
England  or  elsewhere,  in  spite  of  the  sup- 
posed influence  of  astrology  and  many 
superstitions  then  prevalent,  of  which  the 
following  is  an  example.  "You  shall 
take  Damask  rose  water  &  boyle  therein 
the  powder  of  cloaves,  cinamon,  three 
32 


1Fn  Iftew  3£nglanD 


graines  of  Amber  &  one  of  Muske,  & 
when  it  is  come  to  be  somewhat  thick 
take  a  round  gouge  &  make  an  hole  on 
the  maine  stocke  of  the  Vine,  full  as 
deepe  as  the  heart,  &  then  put  therein 
the  medicine,  stopping  the  hole  with 
Cypress  or  Juniper,  &  the  next  Grapes 
which  shall  spring  out  of  the  vine  will 
taste  as  if  they  were  perfumed." 

JOHN  WORWDGE,  although  a  volumi- 
nous writer,  and  one  especially  interested 
in  rural  affairs,  is  best  known  for  his 
Sy sterna  Horticulture  or  The  Art  of  Gar- 
dening^ in  which  he  treats  upon  every- 
thing relating  to  the  subject,  and  directs 
attention  particularly  "to  the  great  im- 
provement of  every  sort  of  land,  as  well 
for  use  and  profit  as  for  ornament  and 
delight." 

With  many  other  books,  he  also  pro- 
duced, Systema  Agricultures  :  The  mys- 
tery of  Husbandry  discovered. 

JOHN  EVEXYN,  born  in  1620,  was  con- 
temporary with  Worlidge  and,  like  him, 
delighted  in  rural  pursuits.  He  was  com- 
3  33 


Bvolution  of  "[horticulture 


pared  by  Switzer  to  another  Virgil.  In 
addition  to  the  advantages  which  he  had 
received  by  extensive  travel  throughout 
Burope,  and  the  royal  preferments  that 
were  bestowed  upon  him  during  the 
reigns  of  Charles  II.  and  James  II.,  all  of 
which  made  him  pre-eminent,  the  tastes 
of  Evelyn  led  him  to  scientific  research, 
the  results  of  which  were  given  to  his 
countrymen.  At  his  beautiful  estate, 
Sayes  Court,  he  wrote  his  Sylva  and 
Terra>  treatises  which  passed  through 
several  editions,  and  firmly  established 
his  reputation  as  an  horticultural  author, 
a  reputation  which  continued  for  more 
than  a  century.  Several  other  works, 
literary,  horticultural,  and  translations 
from  the  French,  of  much  merit,  issued 
from  his  pen,  and  were  published.  Among 
these  were  :  Kalendarium  Hortense  or 
the  Gardener's  Almanack.  The  French 
Gardener.  Parallel  of  the  Ancient  Archi- 
tecture with  the  Modern.  Acetaria,  or  a 
Discourse  of  Sallets. 

In  connection  with  ornamental  garden- 
34 


1Tn  IRew  BnglanD 

ing  the  names  of  Worlidge,  Evelyn, 
Bacon,  and  Temple  will  receive  fitting 
mention  in  these  pages. 

The  formal,  mathematical  features 
•which  had  distinguished  the  pleasure 
grounds  and  gardens  attained  their 
height  at  the  termination  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  "  What  multitudes  of 
grand,  quaint,  and  artificial  gardens  were 
spread  over  the  country,  and  stood  in  all 
that  stately  formality  which  Henry  and 
Elizabeth  admired,  and  in  which  our  Sur- 
reys, Leicesters,  Bssexes :  the  splendid 
nobles  of  the  Tudor  dynasty,  the  gay 
ladies  and  gallants  of  Charles  II' s  court, 
had  walked  and  talked,  fluttered  in  glit- 
tering processions,  or  flirted  in  green  al- 
leys and  bowers  of  topiary-work :  and 
amid  figures,  in  lead  or  stone,  fountains, 
cascades,  copper  trees  dropping  sudden 
showers  on  the  astonished  passers  under, 
stately  terraces  with  gilded  balustrades, 
and  curious  quincunx,  obelisks,  and  pyra- 
mids." l  To  the  above,  Johnson  truly 
1  Rural  England,  by  Howitt. 
35 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


says :  "  Such  novelties  were  pleasing,  and 
man  could  do  no  more  in  this  style,  when 
he  increased  the  size  of  his  gardens,  than 
vary  the  arrangement  of  the  repetition : 
he  might  turn  the  kaleidoscope  at  will ; 
but  the  same  materials,  the  same  ideas 
appeared  only  in  a  different  direction. 
Invention  was  at  a  stand-still ;  confined  to 
a  square  plot  of  wall-girted  ground,  she 
could  do  no  more.  The  trees  and  flowers 
employed  were  of  the  rarest  kinds :  the 
basins  and  temples  of  the  costliest  ma- 
terials :  vases  and  statues  of  the  finest 
workmanship  were  scattered  through  the 
ground  :  and  then  what  remained  ?  Noth- 
ing but  to  demolish  the  walls,  and  let  in 
the  view  of  the  surrounding  country,  to 
teach  mankind  the  beauties  of  which,  un- 
der certain  combinations,  they  required 
no  masters'"  1 

Such  masters  however  had  existed,  and 

among  them  Bacon  had  long  before,  by 

his  writings,  and  partly  by  his  example, 

taught  his  countrymen  that  man  was  only 

1  G.  W.  Johnson. 

36 


Un  Iftew 


the  servant  and  interpreter  of  nature. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  this  maxim,  his 
teaching  was  to  little  purpose,  for  al- 
though he  ridiculed  some  of  the  absurd 
prevalent  customs,  he  still  adhered  to  the 
mechanical  style  of  the  garden.  This 
must  be  square,  surrounded  on  all  sides 
by  a  stately  arched  hedge,  the  arches  to 
be  upon  pillars  of  carpenter's  work.  In 
these  were  to  be  hung  bird  cages  and 
plates  of  round  colored  glass  gilt,  for 
the  sun  to  play  upon.  While  he  advo- 
cates straight  alleys,  with  parterres,  trees, 
or  shrubs  on  both  sides,  exactly  corre- 
sponding to  each  other,  also  fountains 
and  statues,  he  condemns  evergreens  cut 
into  images — "they  be  for  children. " 
There  should  be  no  pools  of  water,  "as 
they  mar  all,  and  make  the  garden  un- 
wholesome and  full  of  flies  and  frogs." 
Water,  wherever  present,  should  be  in 
perpetual  motion,  and  never  be  allowed 
to  remain  in  bowls  or  cisterns. 

Bacon's  nearest  approach  to  the  natural 
style  of  gardening,  consisted  in  the  pro- 
37 


Evolution  of  t>ortfculture 


posed  heath  or  desert,  which,  should  ter- 
minate the  garden  grounds  and  "  should 
be  framed  as  much  as  may  be  to  a  natural 
wildness." 

Sir  William  Temple,  in  his  Garden  of 
Epicurus  inculcates  the  taste  for  the  prim- 
ness, formality,  and  stiffness  so  generally 
prevalent  in  England  at  the  date  of  its  pub- 
lication, and  which  he  had  seen  carried 
to  its  full  extent  in  Holland,  in  the  laying 
out  of  pleasure  grounds  and  gardens. 

He  advises  his  readers  not  to  follow  the 
example  of  the  Chinese  in  the  selection 
of  garden  designs.  "In  place  of  such 
irregularities,  Among  us,  the  Beauty  of 
Building  and  Planting  is  placed  chiefly 
in  some  certain  Proportions,  Symmetries, 
or  Uniformities  :  our  Walks  and  our  Trees 
ranged  so  as  to  answer  one  another,  and 
at  exact  distances."  Again,  as  to  the 
irregular  forms,  Temple  says  :  "  I  should 
hardly  advise  any  of  these  attempts  in 
the  figures  of  gardens  among  us :  they 
are  adventures  of  too  hard  achievement 
for  any  common  hands,  and  though  there 
38 


1fn  Iftew 


may  be  more  honour  if  they  succeed  well, 
yet  there  is  more  dishonour  if  they  fail, 
and  it  is  twenty  to  one  they  will ;  where- 
as in  regular  figures  it  is  hard  to  make 
any  great  and  remarkable  faults." 

Sir  William's  beau  ideal  of  a  garden 
presenting  stateliness  and  beauty,  was 
that  of  the  Countess  of  Bedford  at  Moor 
Park,  Hertfordshire.  He  describes  it  as 
on  the  slope  of  a  hill,  with  two  terraces, 
one  above  the  other,  and  connected  by  a 
grand  flight  of  steps.  There  were  par- 
terres, ornamented  fountains,  statues, 
other  embellishments  and  a  wilderness. 
The  delight  which  he  took  in  his  own 
beautiful  garden  at  Sheen,  in  Surrey, 
which  he  called  his  "  Corner,"  not  only 
in  the  culture  of  flowers  but  of  various 
fruits,  especially  of  the  vine,  is  much  to 
be  admired.  To  this  spot  he  gave  his 
heart,  not  only  by  metaphor  while  living, 
but  literally,  by  giving  instructions  at  his 
death  that  it  should  be  placed  in  its  midst 
beneath  the  sun-dial  which  had  marked 
so  many  of  his  happy  hours. 
39 


Evolution  of  Iborttculture 


In  comparing  the  plans  severally 
offered  by  Bacon  and  Temple,  upon 
which  princely  gardens  were  to  be  con- 
structed, it  will  be  seen  that,  while  both 
were  influenced  by  adherence  to  mathe- 
matical precision,  the  former  was  much 
the  more  liberal  in  his  ideas,  and  his 
essay  largely  contributed  to  bringing 
about  the  changes  which  afterwards 
gradually  took  place. 

Worlidge  and  Evelyn  both  advanced 
the  prevailing  tastes  of  the  day.  In  the 
first  book  of  his  Art  of  Gardening,  Wor- 
lidge treats  of  "  the  excellency,  situation, 
soil,  form,  walks,  arbours,  springs,  foun- 
tains, water-works,  grottos,  statues,  and 
other  magnificent  ornaments  of  Gardens, 
with  many  necessary  rules,  precepts,  and 
directions  concerning  the  same." 

The  above  quotation  from  the  title-page, 
would  seem  to  furnish  sufficient  evidence 
of  the  direction  in  which  his  prejudices 
tended.  At  the  same  time,  some  observa- 
tions on  cottage  gardens,  written  by  him 
in  1677,  abundantly  show  that  he  could 
40 


Un 


recognize  and  appreciate  the  sense  of 
beauty  when  seen  under  the  humblest 
circumstances.  "Such  is  its  pre-excel- 
lency,  that  there  is  scarce  a  cottage  in 
most  of  the  southern  parts  of  England 
but  hath  its  proportionable  garden,  so 
great  a  delight  do  most  of  men  take  in  it, 
that  they  may  not  only  please  themselves 
with  the  view  of  the  flowers,  herbs,  and 
trees,  as  they  grow,  but  furnish  them- 
selves and  their  neighbours  upon  extra- 
ordinary occasions,  as  nuptials,  feasts,  and 
funerals,  with  the  proper  products  of 
their  gardens." 

This  statement  by  Worlidge  is  espe- 
cially interesting  to  us,  as  the  pleasant 
memories  connected  with  these  small 
plots  about  their  homes  were  brought 
over  by  Puritan  and  Pilgrim  from  various 
parts  of  England,  with  an  earnest  desire 
to  reproduce  them  as  far  as  possible  upon 
these  shores. 

That  Evelyn  was  influenced  by  similar 
general  principles  is  made  evident  by 
his  own  estate  at  Saye's  Court,  Herts, 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


and  also  by  his  diary,  in  which  he  speaks 
warmly  of  Sir  William  Temple's  garden 
at  Sheen.  Of  the  seat  of  the  Duke  of 
Lauderdale,  in  Middlesex,  he  says  :  "  The 
parterres,  flower  gardens,  orangeries, 
groves,  avenues,  courts,  statues,  per- 
spective fountains,  aviaries,  and  all  this 
on  the  bank  of  the  sweetest  river  in  the 
world,  must  needs  be  admirable."  He 
afterwards  speaks  of  other  places  which 
were  laid  out  in  similar  style. 

During  the  eighteenth  century,  the 
characteristic  features  of  the  art  of  gar- 
dening which  have  been  considered, 
underwent  the  most  remarkable  changes, 
which  appear  to  have  risen  contempo- 
raneously on  the  Continent  and  in  Bng- 
land.  The  faint  dawn  of  the  modern  or 
natural  design  of  gardening,  ushered  in 
by  the  writings  of  Bacon,  was  gradually 
followed  by  the  daylight,  and  finally,  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  century,  by  the  full 
noon-tide  of  the  popular  favor.  The 
essays  of  Addison,  published  in  the  Spec- 
tator,  greatly  contributed  to  this  innova- 
42 


1Fn 


tion,  a  model  of  which  he  presented  in 
the  arrangement  of  his  estate  near  Rugby. 
In  fact  when  he  asserted  in  his  first  essay, 
that  an  imitation  of  nature  should  be  the 
basis  of  ornamental  gardening,  Addison 
must  be  considered  the  pioneer  in  the 
introduction  into.  England  of  this  well- 
established  maxim.  "If  we  consider 
works  of  nature  and  art  as  they  are 
qualified  to  entertain  the  imagination, 
we  shall  find  the  last  very  defective,  in 
comparison  of  the  former:  for  though 
they  may  sometimes  appear  as  beautiful 
or  strange,  they  can  have  nothing  in  them 
of  that  vastness  and  immensity  which 
affords  so  great  an  entertainment  to  the 
mind  of  the  beholder.  The  one  may  be 
as  polite  and  delicate  as  the  other,  but 
can  never  show  herself  so  august  and 
magnificent  in  the  design.  There  is 
something  more  bold  and  masterly  in  the 
rough,  careless  strokes  of  nature,  than  in 
the  nice  touches  and  embellishments  of 
art.  The  beauties  of  the  most  stately 
garden  or  palace  lie  in  a  narrow  compass, 
43 


Evolution  of  Dortfculture ; 


the  imagination  immediately  runs  them 
over,  and  requires  something  else  to 
gratify  her ;  but  in  the  wide  fields  of 
nature,  the  sight  wanders  up  and  down 
without  confinement,  and  is  fed  with  an 
infinite  variety  of  images,  without  any 
certain  stint  or  number.  For  this  reason 
we  always  find  the  poet  in  love  with  the 
country  life,  where  nature  appears  in  the 
greatest  perfection,  and  furnishes  out  all 
those  scenes  that  are  most  apt  to  delight 
the  imagination." 

Pope,  soon  after,  not  only  followed  by 
an  essay  similar  in  character,  but  carried 
out  his  ideal  style  in  his  garden  at  Twick- 
enham. Among  the  principal  designers 
and  advocates  of  the  new  school  of  gar- 
dening, the  names  of  Bridgman,  Kent, 
Wright,  Mason,  Brown,  Shenstone,  Price, 
Knight,  Rapton,  and  Loudon  are  con- 
spicuous. In  the  first  years  of  the  present 
century,  the  establishment  of  horticul- 
tural societies,  and  the  publication  of 
journals,  magazines,  and  encyclopaedias 
devoted  to  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  on 
44 


fn  Hew  England 

all  subjects  relating  to  horticulture,  also 
contributed  much  to  the  adoption  of 
those  principles  which  now  govern  the 
educated  landscape  gardener. 


45 


THE  EVOLUTION  OF    HORTI- 
CULTURE IN  NEW  ENGLAND. 
I. 

THE  EARLIEST    COLONIES  IN  NEW  ENG- 
LAND. 

FOR  centuries  previous  to  its  perma- 
nent settlement,  the  voyages  made 
by  Europeans  to  New  England, 
were  undertaken  almost  solely  for  the 
purposes  of  exploration  and  commerce. 
Enterprises  of  this  character  were  entered 
into  by  the  French,   English,   Spanish, 
and  Portuguese  nations,  and  there  is  rea- 
son to  believe  that  the  Northmen  had  ex- 
tended their  adventurous  navigation  in 
the  exploration  of  these  shores,  as  early 
as  the  latter  part  of  the  tenth  century. 
47 


Evolution  of  Ibotttcultute 


The  first  permanent  European  coloniza- 
tion upon  the  sea  coast  of  New  England, 
was  established  at  Plymouth.  "  A  re- 
ligious impulse  accomplished  what  com- 
mercial enterprise,  commanding  money 
and  court  favor,  had  attempted  without 
success.  Civilized  New  England  is  the 
child  of  English  Puritanism.  "2 

This  was  soon  followed  by  other  planta- 
tions, notably  on  Massachusetts  Bay.  It 
is  not  to  the  purpose  in  this  connection, 
to  enter  upon  the  causes,  either  remote 
or  immediate,  which  led  to  this  religious 
impulse.  A  brief  consideration,  however, 
of  the  condition  of  the  country  into  which 
the  colonists  had  come,  as  also  some 
knowledge  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants, 
are  necessary  for  the  proper  understand- 
ing of  important  factors  which  were  es- 
sential to  the  early  sustenance  of  the 
plantations  by  means  of  horticulture.  In 
fact  there  is  no  evidence  whatever  that 
there  had  been  any  European  settlement 
in  New  England  previous  to  that  at 

1  Palfrey,  New  England,  vol.  i.,  p.  101. 

43 


•ffn  Bew  BnglanD 


Plymouth,  where  attempts  had  been  made 
to  cultivate  the  soil  for  the  maintenance 
of  life. 

New  England  was  forest-clad,  including 
the  islands  in  the  bays,  the  only  excep- 
tions to  this  condition  being  the  salt- 
marshes,  bogs,  and  the  higher  ranges  of 
mountains.  The  Indian  tribes  found  here 
by  the  early  planters  had  not  materially 
modified  the  natural  vegetation,  although 
the  latter  have  reported  that  there  was 
much  ground  cleared  by  them.  "  But, 
whatever  may  have  been  the  amount  of 
their  planting,  if  the  aborigines  had 
simply  abandoned  the  country,  no  mark 
of  their  occupation  would  long  have  re- 
mained, so  far  as  the  vegetable  kingdom 
is  concerned."1 

Even  their  custom  of  burning  the  coun- 
try in  certain  districts,  twice  a  year,  must 
have  had  a  comparatively  limited  effect 
upon  the  aspect  of  the  neighboring  re- 
gions. The  knowledge  of  this  custom, 

1  A.  Gray,  Memorial  History  of  Boston^  vol.  i., 
p.  18. 

49 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


also  our  acquaintance  with  the  flora  and 
fauna  of  early  New  Bngland,  are  de- 
rived from  the  chronicles  of  the  Pil- 
grims, and  from  those  who  visited  the 
parts  in  later  years.  Morton,  who  was  at 
Plymouth  in  1622,  says  in  his  New  Eng- 
lish Canaan:  "The  salvages  are  accus- 
tomed to  set  fire  to  the  country  in  all 
places  where  they  come,  and  to  burn  it 
twice  a  year,  viz.,  at  the  spring,  and  the 
fall  of  the  leaf.  The  reason  that  moves 
them  to  do  so  is  because  it  would  other- 
wise be  so  overgrown  with  underweeds, 
that  it  would  be  all  a  coppice  wood,  and 
the  people  would  not  be  able  in  any  wise 
to  pass  through  the  country  out  of  a 
beaten  path.  This  custom  of  firing  the 
country  is  the  means  to  make  it  passable, 
and  by  that  means  the  trees  grow  here 
and  there,  as  in  our  parks,  and  makes  the 
country  very  beautiful  and  commodius."1 
Fresh  water  was  abundantly  supplied  by 
rivers  and  springs.  The  soil,  as  a  gen- 

1  Morton's  New  English  Canaan,  bk.  i.,  chap, 
xviii. 

50 


1fn  1Rew  BnglanD 


eral  rule,  is  not  naturally  fertile  ;  the  most 
arable  and  fruitful  existed  in  the  valleys 
of  the  large  rivers.  "An  abundance  of 
the  oak,  hickory,  walnut,  ash,  elm, 
maple,  pine,  spruce,  chestnut,  cedar,  and 
other  forest  trees  offered  supplies  for  fuel, 
tools,  weapons,  utensils,  and  building. 
The  chestnut,  hazlenut,  beechnut,  butter- 
nut, and  shagbark  yielded  contributions 
to  the  store  of  food  laid  up  for  winter. 
Wild  cherries,  mulberries,  and  plums  en- 
larged the  variety  of  the  summer's  diet. 
Wild  berries  as  the  strawberry,  the  goose- 
berry, the  raspberry,  the  whortleberry, 
the  cranberry,  grew  in  plenty  in  the 
meadow  and  champaign  lands.  Vines 
bearing  grapes  of  tolerable  flavor  flour- 
ished along  the  streams.  A  profusion  of 
flowering  shrubs  and  of  aquatic,  forest, 
and  field  flowers,  brought  their  tribute  to 
the  pomp  of  the  year.  The  lobelia,  the 
sarsaparilla,  the  ginseng,  and  the  sassafras 
were  prized  for  their  medicinal  qualities. 
The  native  grasses  of  the  upland  were 
rank  but  innutritions,  so  that  the  planters 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


found  it  better  to  fodder  their  cattle  on  the 
salt  herbage  of  the  sea-marshes.'* l 

At  the  time  of  the  settlement  at  Ply- 
mouth, the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  New 
England  had  been  estimated  at  fifty  thou- 
sand in  number,  the  population  having 
been  reduced  greatly  by  a  pestilence 
which  raged  among  them.  These  were 
considered  of  an  inferior  type,  although 
in  physical  conformation  they  were  quite 
equal  to  the  Indians  of  the  other  groups. 
They,  however,  exhibited  an  incapacity 
for  any  continuous  labor.  In  fact  there 
is  every  evidence  presented  that  they  were 
lazy,  filthy  in  their  habits,  ignorant,  vin- 
dictive, and  cruel,  and  easily  satisfied  with 
food,  shelter,  and  clothing  of  the  rudest 
kind.  Of  these  last  we  are  here  more 
concerned  with  the  food  which  they  pro- 
cured by  means  of  their  "  wretched  hus- 
bandry.*' This  consisted  of  Indian  corn 
or  maize,  the  squash,  pumpkin,  and  bean. 
The  soil  was  fertilized  by  fish  which,  with 

1  Palfrey,  History  of  New  England,  vol.  i.,  pp. 
16,17 

52 


•ffn  Iftew  ;6nglan& 


the  seed,  was  covered  by  means  of  a  hoe 
constructed  of  a  clam-shell  or  the  shoul- 
der-blade of  the  moose  rudely  attached 
to  a  wooden  handle.  The  beans  planted 
with  the  corn  were  allowed  to  find  sup- 
port by  clinging  to  the  corn-stalks.  When 
harvested,  the  corn  was  preserved  in 
holes. 

"Their  barns  are  holes  made  in  the 
earth,  that  will  hold  a  hogshead  of  corn 
apiece.  In  these  when  their  corn  is  out 
of  the  husk,  and  well  dried,  they  lay  their 
store  in  great  baskets,  with  mats  under, 
about  the  sides,  and  on  the  top  :  and 
putting  it  into  the  place  made  for  it, 
they  cover  it  with  earth,  and  in  this 
manner  it  is  preserved  from  destruction 
or  putrefaction,  to  be  used  in  case  of 
necessity,  and  not  else. 

"  As  the  Indians  did  not  understand 
the  art  of  making  bread,  they  simply 
boiled  the  corn  alone  or  mixed  with  beans. 
Sometimes  they  parched  the  ears  and  ate 
the  kernels  whole,  or  by  pounding  them 
in  a  rude  mortar,  converted  them  into  a 
53 


Evolution  of  Tbotticulture 


'  sweet,  toothsome,  and  hearty  *  meal. 
'  Nokehich,'  parched  meal,  which  is  a 
ready,  very  wholesome  food,  which  they 
eat  with  a  little  water,  hot  or  cold.  I 
have  travelled  with  near  two  hundred  of 
them  at  once,  near  a  hundred  miles 
through  the  woods,  every  man  carrying  a 
little  basket  of  this  at  his  back,  and  some- 
times in  a  hollow  leather  girdle  about 
the  middle,  sufficient  for  a  man  three  or 
four  days.  With  this  ready  provision, 
and  their  bows  and  arrows,  they  are  ready 
for  war,  and  travel  at  an  hour's  warning. 
With  a  spoonful  of  this  meal,  and  a 
spoonful  of  water  from  the  brook,  have  I 
made  many  a  good  dinner  and  supper."  1 
They  also  raised  tobacco,  but  used  it 
only  in  smoking.  "  They  generally  all 
take  tobacco,  and  it  is  the  only  plant 
which  men  labor  in,  the  women  mana- 
ging all  the  rest."  2  The  expression 
"drinking  smoke  or  drinking  tobacco" 

1  Roger  Williams's  Key,  Mass.  Hist.  Collect.,  iii. 
p.  208. 

*  Idem,  chaps.  II.,  XX. 

54 


1Fn 


was  in  common  use  among  the  early 
colonial  writers.  It  was  probably  derived 
from  the  practice,  still  followed  in  some 
nations,  of  inhaling  the  smoke.  The 
vegetable  food  from  the  culture  of  the 
soil  was  eked  out  by  various  nuts,  acorns, 
roots,  and  berries,  gathered  from  the 
forest,  and  the  ground-nut, — a  poor  sub- 
stitute for  the  potato, — which  grew  wild. 
Their  only  domesticated  animal  was  a 
species  of  native  dog  of  low  degree. 

Into  the  conditions  which  have  thus 
been  briefly  noticed,  the  Mayflower,  after 
a  lengthened  voyage,  brought  its  com- 
pany, dropping  her  anchor  in  the  safe 
harbor  at  the  extremity  of  Cape  Cod,  now 
the  roadstead  of  Provincetown,  November 
II,  1620.  The  events  which  attended  the 
various  explorations  made  from  the  ship, 
in  search  of  a  suitable  locality  for  their 
plantation,  are  interesting,  and  have 
special  reference  to  their  future  success 
in  colonization.  "  The  building  of  log 
hovels,  the  turning  of  sand-heaps  into 
corn-fields,  dealings  with  stupid  Indians, 
55 


Evolution  of  Dorticulture 


and  with  overreaching  partners  in  trade, 
anxious  struggles  to  get  a  living,  and,  at 
most,  the  sufferings  of  men,  women,  and 
children,  wasting  under  cold,  sickness, 
and  famine,  feebly  supply,  as  the  staple 
of  a  history,  the  place  of  those  splendid 
exhibitions  of  power,  and  those  critical 
conflicts  of  intrigue  and  war,  which  fill 
the  annals  of  great  empires.  But  no 
higher  stake  is  played  for  in  the  largest 
sphere,  than  the  life  of  a  body  politic ; 
nor  is  the  merit  of  that  constancy  which 
makes  no  account  of  sacrifice  and  suffer- 
ing, to  be  estimated  by  the  size  of  the 
theatre  on  which  it  is  displayed."  l 

On  November  I5th,  a  party  of  fifteen 
men  under  Standish  as  leader,  armed  and 
provisioned,  started  off  on  a  reconnois- 
sance  of  the  country.  They  were  absent 
three  days.  Proceeding  southward,  on 
the  second  day  they  came  to  a  tract  of 
land  which  had  been  cultivated  for  corn. 
Here  they  found  certain  heaps  of  sand 
•which  they  supposed  to  be  graves,  also 
1  Palfrey,  New  England,  vol.  i.,  p.  166. 
56 


Un  Iftew 


the  remains  of  a  hut,  and  a  great  kettle 
which  had  been  some  ship's  kettle,  and 
brought  out  of  Europe.  "  There  was 
another  heap  of  sand  made  like  the 
others  but  it  was  newly  done,  we  might 
see  how  they  had  paddled  it  with  their 
hands — which  we  digged  up,  and  in  it  we 
found  a  little  old  basket,  full  of  fair 
Indian  corn :  and  digged  further,  and 
found  a  fine  great  new  basket,  full  of 
very  fair  corn  of  this  year,  with  some  six 
and  thirty  ears  of  corn,  some  yellow,  and 
some  red,  and  others  mixed  with  blue, 
which  was  a  very  goodly  sight.  The 
basket  held  about  three  or  four  bushels, 
which  was  as  much  as  two  of  us  could 
lift  up  from  the  ground. "  l 

After  some  consideration  as  to  the 
propriety  of  taking  the  corn,  the  com- 
pany concluded  that,  under  the  circum- 
stances, it  was  justifiable  to  fill  the  kettle 
with  as  much  corn  as  they  could  carry 
away,  and  afterwards  return  the  property 
to  the  owners  if  they  could  be  found. 

1  Young's  Chronicles  of  the  Pilgrims,  p.  133. 
57 


Evolution  of  Ibortfcultiire 


On  the  evening  of  the  third  day  they 
returned  to  the  ship.  Another  expedi- 
tion was  soon  afterwards  made  to  the 
same  locality,  just  described,  where,  after 
digging,  they  found  several  baskets  full 
of  corn  and  a  bag  of  beans.  Thus  they 
procured  ten  bushels  of  grain,  which  they 
intended  to  retain  for  seed.  After  further 
delay,  dependent  on  various  circum- 
stances, by  explorations  on  shore,  and 
by  means  of  the  shallop,  in  which  the 
harbors  were  sounded,  they  discovered  at 
last  a  spot  well  suited  to  their  purposes. 
"We  came  to  a  conclusion,  to  set  on  the 
main  land,  in  the  first  place,  on  a  high 
ground,  where  there  is  a  great  deal  of 
land  cleared,  and  hath  been  planted  with 
corn  three  or  four  years  ago :  and  there  is 
a  very  sweet  brook  runs  under  the  hill 
side,  and  many  delicate  springs  of  as 
good  water  as  can  be  drunk,  and  where 
we  may  harbour  our  shallops  and  boats 
exceeding  well :  and  in  this  brook  much 
good  fish  in  their  seasons  :  on  the  further 
side  of  the  river  also  much  corn-ground 
58 


Un  IRew 


cleared.  In  one  field  is  a  great  hill,  on 
which  we  point  to  make  a  platform  and 
plant  our  ordnance,  which  will  com- 
mand all  round  about.  .  .  .  The 
land  for  the  crust  of  the  earth  is,  a 
spit's  depth,  excellent  black  mould,  and 
fat  in  some  places  :  two  or  three  great 
oaks,  but  not  very  thick  pines,  walnuts, 
beech,  ash,  birch,  hazel,  holly,  asp,  sassa- 
fras in  abundance,  and  vines  every  where, 
cherry  trees,  plum  trees,  and  many  others 
which  we  know  not.  Many  kinds  of  herbs 
we  found  here  in  winter,  as  strawberry 
leaves  innumerable,  sorrel,  yarrow,  car- 
vel, brooklime,  liverwort,  water  cresses, 
great  store  of  leeks  and  onions,  and  an 
excellent  strong  kind  of  flax  and  hemp. 
Here  is  sand,  gravel,  and  excellent  clay, 
no  better  in  the  world,  excellent  for  pots, 
and  will  wash  like  soap,  and  great  store 
of  stone."  l 

Elated  with  their  success  the  party  of 

explorers    returned   to    the  vessel,   and 

reported  the  good  news,  "which  did  much 

1  Idem,  p.  165. 

59 


Bvolution  ot  Iborticulture 


comfort  their  hearts."  Accordingly,  in  a 
few  days  afterwards,  the  Mayflower  had 
brought  the  company  to  the  much  desired 
haven,  to  keep  the  Sabbath  by  their 
future  home.  The  first  needful  operations 
on  shore  were  at  once  entered  upon. 
The  company  was  divided  into  nineteen 
families,  and  a  corresponding  number  of 
plots  for  dwellings  and  gardens  were  laid 
out  on  the  opposite  sides  of  a  way  along 
the  northern  side  of  the  brook.  A  plat- 
form was  laid  for  ordnance,  and  a  building 
twenty  feet  square,  for  common  occupa- 
tion and  for  a  storehouse,  was  erected. 

The  sad  tale  of  the  sickness,  due  to 
exposure,  improper  and  deficient  food, 
followed  by  extraordinary  mortality,  and 
the  consequent  reduced  condition  of  the 
colony,  is  generally  familiar,  and  does 
not  here  require  comment.  In  spite  of 
the  length  of  the  winter,  which  provi- 
dentially had  not  the  usual  severity,  a 
very  early  spring  was  most  heartily 
welcomed  by  the  much  afflicted  company. 

"  Saturday,  the  3d  of  March,  the  wind 
60 


1Fn  Iftew  Bnglanfc 


was  south,  the  morning  misty,  but  towards 
noon  warm  and  fair  weather.  The  birds 
sang  in  the  woods  most  pleasantly.  At 
one  of  the  clock  it  thundered,  which  was 
the  first  we  heard  in  that  country.  March 
19,  20,  Monday  and  Tuesday  proved  fair 
days.  We  digged  our  grounds  and  sowed 
our  garden  seeds. ' ' l  They  sowed  six  acres 
of  barley  and  pease,  and  set  twenty  acres 
of  corn,  making  use  of  the  ten  bushels 
which  they  had  brought  from  the  Indian 
subterranean  storehouses.  In  this  work, 
much  assistance  was  rendered  them  by 
Squanto,  a  faithful  Indian,  who  taught 
them  how  to  plant,  manure  with  fish,  and 
hill  it.  "Our  corn  did  prove  well:  and 
God  be  praised,  we  had  a  good  increase 
of  Indian  corn,  and  our  barley  indifferent 
good,  but  our  pease  not  worth  the  gath- 
ering, for  we  feared  they  were  too  late 
sown.  They  came  up  very  well,  and 
blossomed  :  but  the  sun  parched  them  in 
the  blossom."2  The  sudden  death  of 
Governor  Carver  was  closely  connected 

^  pp.  181-9.  *fdemt  p.  231. 

6l 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


with  their  first  experience  in  horticultural 
work.  Being  one  ever  ready  to  serve  his 
fellow-men  in  every  possible  manner, 
and  to  share  their  common  labors,  he 
was  assisting  them  in  planting.  "After 
a  short  time  he  comes  out  of  the  field, 
being  sick,  complains  of  his  head  greatly. 
Within  a  few  hours,  his  senses  fail,  and  in 
a  few  days  after,  he  dies,  to  our  great 
lamentation. " 1  His  death  has  been  at- 
tributed to  the  effects  of  the  sun,  which 
rarely  produce  similar  results  in  this 
climate  in  the  month  of  April. 

As  the  season  advanced,  they  found 
native  sallet  herbs,  and  also  grapes  and 
berries  in  great  abundance.  "Here  are 
grapes  white  and  red  and  very  sweet  and 
strong  also :  strawberries,  gooseberries* 
raspberries,  &  plums  of  three  sorts,  white, 
black,  and  red,  being  almost  as  good  as  a 
damson,  abundance  of  roses,  white,  red, 
and  damask :  single,  but  very  sweet 
indeed."2 

In  the  spring  of  the  second  year,  the 
1  Idem,  p.  200.  2 Idem^  p.  234. 

62 


planters  liad  tilled  sixty  acres  of  corn, 
and,  in  addition,  had  vegetables  in  their 
individual  gardens.  Unfortunately,  how- 
ever, the  crop  was  small,  due,  as  has  been 
reported,  to  imperfect  cultivation,  owing 
to  the  physical  weakness  of  the  company, 
and  to  having  much  other  work  upon 
their  hands,  and  also  to  its  being  stolen, 
while  still  unripe,  by  unruly  settlers 
under  Thomas  Weston  at  Weymouth. 
Some  small  supplies  were  happily  ob- 
tained from  the  natives  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  by  expeditions  made  by  sea  and 
land  to  the  north  and  to  Cape  Cod. 

After  the  planting  of  the  third  season, 
a  severe  drought  prevailed  from  that  time 
until  midsummer.  As  a  result  of  earnest 
supplication  to  Heaven  in  behalf  of  the 
colony,  the  abundant  rains  which  soon 
followed  were  confidently  recognized  as 
the  interposition  of  a  special  providence. 
At  any  rate  they  received  a  plentiful  har- 
vest. Moreover,  the  method  they  adopted 
of  compelling  each  cultivator  to  bring  in 
a  competent  portion  for  the  maintenance 

63 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


of  the  public  officers  was  successful.  This 
"made  all  hands  very  industrious,  so  as 
much  more  corn  was  planted  than  other- 
wise would  have  been :  and  it  gave  far 
better  content.  They  now  went  willingly 
into  the  field,  and  took  their  little  ones 
with  them  to  set  corn,  whom  to  have 
compelled  would  have  been  thought  tyr- 
anny and  oppression."  l 

The  hardships  which  had  been  encoun- 
tered by  the  colony  at  Plymouth  were 
now  greatly  diminished.  The  increased 
harvests  from  their  horticultural  pursuits 
more  intelligently  conducted,  the  extend- 
ed trading  in  various  articles,  due  to  their 
own  enterprise,  and  the  additions  which 
had  been  lately  made  to  their  diminished 
numbers  from  the  mother  country,  had 
contributed  to  these  happy  results. 

During  the  struggles  of  the  Plymouth 

colony  for  existence,  attempts  were  made 

to  settle  other  plantations  in  New  Bng- 

land.     During  1622,  as  has  already  been 

stated,  a  settlement  under  Weston  was 

1  Bradford,  p.  134. 

64 


Un 


commenced  at  Weymouth.  This  company 
not  only  pilfered  the  Plymouth  people, 
but  got  them  into  trouble  with  the  natives, 
by  treating  the  last  in  a  similar  manner. 
This  was,  however,  speedily  terminated  by 
sending  against  it  a  small  force  under 
Standish,  by  which  means  the  settlement 
was  dispersed,  and  soon  abandoned,  al- 
though, not  many  years  after,  it  was  per- 
manently settled  under  its  present  name, 
the  few  inhabitants  receiving  an  acces- 
sion to  their  number  from  Weymouth 
in  England.  A  few  miles  to  the  north 
of  this,  another  plantation  was  laid  out, 
which,  coming  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
Thomas  Morton,  became  an  undesirable 
place,  well  known  by  the  character  of  the 
company,  whose  unruly  exploits  were 
finally  terminated  through  the  exertions 
of  Plymouth,  aided  by  contributions  to 
the  expenses  therein  incurred  from  the 
small  settlements  and  individuals  scat- 
tered about  Boston  Bay  and  the  coast  of 
Maine. 

Although  a  record  exists  of  the  several 
5  65 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


contributors,  and  the  amounts  given,  no 
mention  is  made  of  their  horticultural 
efforts  beyond  the  statement  that  they 
are  established  for  "  planting,  fishing, 
and  trading.'*  The  largest  and  most  im- 
portant plantations  in  Massachusetts  Bay, 
in  which  the  horticultural  notices  are 
more  frequent  and  extended  than  are 
those  of  Plymouth,  next  demand  atten- 
tion. 


66 


II. 

THE  COLONIES  OF  MASSACHUSETTS  BAY. 

THE  first  emigration  under  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay  Company  was  made 
with  Master  Bndicott  as  Governor. 
Arriving  at  Naumkeag  (Salem)  in  Septem- 
ber, 1629,  and  uniting  his  own  men  with 
those  who  were  formerly  here  planted,  a 
body  of  fifty  or  sixty  persons  was  thus 
made  up.  A  second  emigration,  under 
the  Reverend  Francis  Higginson,  in- 
creased the  number  to  two  hundred 
more. 

In  a  letter  to  England,  Higginson 
says  :  "  The  next  morning  the  Governor 
came  on  board  our  ship,  and  bade  us 
kindly  welcome,  and  invited  me  and  my 
wife  to  come  ashore  and  take  our  lod- 
67 


Bvolution  ot  tborttcultute 


ging  at  his  house.  The  settlement,  we 
are  told,  there  consisted  of  about  a  half 
score  of  houses,  with  a  fair  house  newly 
built  for  the  Governor.  We  found  also 
abundance  of  corn  planted  by  them,  very 
good  and  well-liking.  .  .  .  Our  Gov- 
ernor hath  already  planned  a  vineyard 
with  great  hopes  of  increase.  Also  mul- 
berries, plums,  raspberries,  currants, 
chestnuts,  filberts,  walnuts,  small  nuts, 
hurtleberries,  and  haws  of  white  thorn, 
near  as  good  as  our  cherries  in  England : 
they  grow  in  plenty  here.  .  .  . 

"  It  is  a  land  of  divers  and  sundry  sorts 
all  about  Masathulets  Bay  and  at  Charles 
river  is  as  fat  black  earth  as  can  be  seen 
anywhere  :  and  in  other  places  you  have 
a  clay  soil,  in  other  gravel,  in  other 
sandy,  as  it  is  all  about  our  plantation  at 
Salem,  for  so  our  town  is  now  named. 
The  fertility  of  the  soil  is  to  be  admired 
at,  as  appear eth  in  the  abundance  of 
grass  that  groweth  every  where,  both  very 
thick,  very  long,  and  very  high  in  divers 
places.  But  it  groweth  very  wildly,  with 
68 


fn  Iftew 


a  great  stalk,  and  a  broad  and  ranker 
blade,  because  it  never  had  been  eaten 
•with  cattle,  nor  mowed  with  a  scythe, 
and  seldom  trampled  on  by  foot.  It  is 
scarce  to  be  believed  how  our  kine  and 
goats  do  thrive  and  prosper  here.  They 
have  tried  our  English  corn  at  New  Ply- 
mouth Plantation,  so  that  all  our  several 
grains  will  grow  here  very  well,  and  have 
a  fitting  soil  for  their  nature.  And  as  for 
fresh  water,  the  country  is  full  of  dainty 
springs,  and  some  great  rivers,  and  some 
lesser  brooks  :  and  at  Masathulets  Bay 
they  digged  wells  and  found  water  at 
three  foot  deep  in  most  places  :  and  near 
Salem  they  have  as  fine  clear  water  as  we 
can  desire,  and  we  may  dig  wells  and  find 
water  where  we  list."  l 

The  planting  of  tobacco,  to  be  con- 
sidered rather  as  a  luxury  than  a  neces- 
sity for  the  plantations,  called  forth  the 
following  advice  in  Cradock's  letter  to 
Endicott  in  1629.  "  The  course  you  have 
taken  in  giving  our  countrymen  their 
1  Young,  Massachusetts  Chronicles,  p.  243. 


Evolution  of  fbortfculture 


content  in  the  point  of  planting  tobacco 
there  for  the  present,  (their  necessity 
considered)  is  not  disallowed :  but  we 
trust  in  God,  other  means  will  be  found 
to  employ  their  time  more  comfortable 
and  profitable  also  in  the  end :  and  we 
cannot  but  generally  approve  and  com- 
mend their  good  resolution  to  desist 
from  the  planting  thereof,  when  as  they 
shall  discern  how  to  employ  their  labors 
otherwise :  which  we  hope  they  will 
be  speedily  induced  unto,  by  such  pre- 
cepts and  examples  as  we  shall  give 
them."  » 

Again  during  the  same  year,  in  the 
Company's  first  general  letter  of  instruc- 
tions to  Kndicott  and  his  Council,  the 
following  words  are  found.  "  And  as 
touching  the  old  planters,  their  earnest 
desire  for  the  present  to  continue  the 
planting  of  tobacco,  (a  trade  by  this 
whole  Company  generally  disavowed, 
and  utterly  disclaimed  by  some  of  the 
greatest  adventurests  amongst  us,  who 
^  p.  136. 
70 


1fn  Iftew 


absolutely  declared  themselves  unwilling 
to  have  any  hand  in  this  Plantation  if 
we  intend  to  cherish  or  permit  the  plant- 
ing thereof,  or  any  other  kind,  than  for 
a  man's  private  use,  for  mere  necessity,) 
we  are  of  opinion  the  old  planters  will 
have  small  encouragement  to  that  em- 
ployment :  for  we  find  here,  by  late 
experience,  that  it  doth  hardly  produce 
the  freight  and  custom  :  .  .  .  Never- 
theless, if  the  old  planters,  (for  we  ex- 
clude all  others,)  conceive  that  they 
cannot  otherwise  provide  for  their  liveli- 
hood, we  leave  it  to  the  discretion  of 
yourself  and  the  Council  there,  to  give 
way  for  the  present  to  their  planting  of 
it  in  such  manner  and  with  such  restric- 
tions as  you  and  the  said  Council  shall 
think  fitting :  having  an  especial  care, 
with  as  much  conveniency  as  may  be, 
utterly  to  suppress  the  planting  of  it,  ex- 
cept for  mere  necessity.  But,  however, 
we  absolutely  forbid  the  sale  of  it,  or  the 
use  of  it,  by  any  of  our  own  or  particular 
men's  servants,  unless  upon  urgent  occa- 


Evolution  of  Iborttcultute 


sion,  for  the  benefit  of  health,  and  taken 
privately. " l 

Among  the  articles  "  to  provide  to  be 
sent  to  New  England  "  by  the  Massachu- 
setts Company,  in  1629,  are  the  follow- 
ing :  "  Vine-planters,  wheat,  rye,  barley, 
oats,  a  hogshead  of  each  in  the  ear: 
beans,  pease,  stones  of  all  sorts  of  fruits, 
as  peaches,  plums,  filberts,  cherries : 
pear,  apple,  quince  kernels :  pomegra- 
nates, woad  seed,  saffron  heads,  liquorice 
seed,  madder  roots,  potatoes,  hop-roots, 
hemp  seed,  flax  seed,  currant  plants,  and 
madder  seeds."  These  seeds  and  roots 
were  afterwards  sent,  and,  according  to 
accounts,  sprung  up  and  flourished.  The 
mode  of  cultivating  and  manuring  the 
soil  by  means  of  fish,  was  practised  at 
first  as  at  Plymouth.  Owing,  however, 
to  the  scarcity  of  certain  kinds,  such  as 
cod  and  bass,  it  was  forbidden  in  1639  to 
use  these  for  that  purpose. 

William  Wood  who  came  to  New  Eng- 
land in  1629,  and  returned  to  England  in 

1  Idem,  p.  146. 

72 


fln  1Rew  BnglanD 

1633,  there  published,  in  the  following 
year,  his  observations  and  experiences  in 
a  treatise  entitled  New  England's  Pros- 
pect. In  speaking  of  the  Massachusetts 
Plantations,  he  says:  "The  ground  af- 
foards  very  good  kitchin  gardens  for 
Turneps,  Parsnips,  Carots,  Radishes,  and 
Pumpions,  Muskmillions,  Isquouter- 
quashes,  Coucumbers,  Onyons,  and 
whatsoever  growes  well  in  England, 
grows  as  well  there,  many  things  being 
better  and  larger  :  there  is  likewise  grow- 
ing all  manner  of  hearbes  for  meate,  and 
medicine,  and  that  not  onely  in  planted 
gardens,  but  in  the  woods,  without  eyther 
the  art  or  the  helpe  of  man,  as  sweet 
Marjoran,  Purselane,  sorrel,  Peneriall, 
Yarrow,  Mirtle,  Saxisarilla,  Bayes,  &c. 
There  is  likewise  Strawberries  in  abun- 
dance, very  large  ones,  some  being  two 
inches  about:  one  may  gather  halfe  a 
bushell  in  a  forenoone  :  In  other  seasons 
there  bee  Gooseberries,  Bilberries,  Res- 
berries,  Treackleberries,  Hurtleberries, 
Currants,  which  being  dryed  in  the  Sunne 
73 


^Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


are  little  inferiour  to  those  that  our 
Grocers  sell  in  England.  This  land  like- 
wise affoards  Hempe  and  Flax,  some 
naturally,  and  some  planted  by  the 
English,  with  Rapes  if  they  bee  well 
managed.  .  .  .  The  next  commoditie 
the  land  affords,  is  good  store  of  Woods, 
&  that  not  onely  such  as  may  be  need- 
ful for  fewel,  but  likewise  for  the  build- 
ing of  ships,  and  houses,  and  mills,  and 
all  manner  of  water  worke  about  which 
Wood  is  needefull."  .  .  .  There  be 
very  few  that  have  the  experience  of  the 
ground,  that  can  condemne  it  of  barren- 
nesse  ;  altho  many  deeme  itt  barren,  be- 
cause the  English  used  to  manure  their 
land  with  fish,  which  they  doe,  not  be- 
cause the  land  could  not  bring  corne 
without  it,  but  because  it  brings  more 
with  it :  the  land  likewise  being  kept  in 
hart  the  longer:  besides,  the  plenty  of 
fish  which  they  have  for  little  or  nothing, 
is  better  so  used,  than  cast  away  :  but  to 
argue  the  goodnesse  of  the  ground,  the 
Indians  who  are  too  lazie  to  catch  fish, 
74 


1Fn  IRew  ^England 


plant  corne  eight  or  ten  years  in  one  place 
without  it,  having  very  good  crops.  Such 
is  the  rankenesse  of  the  ground  that  it 
must  be  sowne  the  first  yeare  with  Indian 
Corne,  which  is  a  soaking  grain e,  before 
it  will  be  fit  for  to  receive  English  seede." 
In  speaking  of  the  varied  employments 
of  the  Indian  women,  Wood  adds  :  "  An 
other  work  is  their  planting  of  corne, 
wherein  they  exceede  our  English  hus- 
band-men, keeping  it  so  cleare  with  their 
Clamme  shell-hoes,  as  if  it  were  a  garden 
rather  than  a  corne  field,  not  suffering  a 
choaking  weede  to  advance  his  audacious 
head  above  their  infant  corne,  or  an  un- 
dermining worme  to  spoile  his  spumes. 
Their  corne  being  ripe,  they  gather  it, 
and  drying  it  hard  in  the  Sunne,  conveigh 
it  to  their  barnes,  which  be  great  holes 
digged  in  the  ground  in  forme  of  a  brasse 
pot,  seeled  with  rinds  of  trees,  wherein 
they  put  their  corne,  covering  it  from  the 
inquisitive  search  of  their  gurmandiz- 
ing  husbands,  who  would  eate  up  both 
their  allowed  portion,  and  reserved 
75 


Evolution  of  f>orticulture 


seede,  if  they  knew  where  to  finde 
it."  i 

Wood's  remarks  upon  the  seasons  of 
the  year,  and  the  relation  of  these  to  the 
crops  produced,  are  remarkably  correct 
for  an  observer  who  had  spent  only  a 
short  time  in  New  England,  scarcely  four 
years. 

"  It  hath  been  observed  that  English 
Wheate  and  Rye  proves  better  which  is 
winter  sowne,  and  is  kept  warm  by  the 
Snow,  than  that  which  is  sowne  in  the 
Spring.  The  summers  are  commonly  hot 
and  dry,  there  being  seldome  any  raines  : 
I  have  knowne  it  sixe  or  seaven  weekes 
before  one  shower  hath  moystened  the 
Plowman's  labour,  yet  the  harvest  hath 
beene  very  good,  the  Indian  Corne  requir- 
ing more  heate  than  wet :  for  the  Eng- 
lish Corne,  it  is  refreshed  with  the 
nightly  dewes,  till  it  grows  up  to  shade 
his  roots  with  its  owne  substance  from  the 
parching  Sunne.  .  .  ." 

1  Wood's  New  England's  Prospect,  1634,  pp.  11,15, 
16,  106. 

76 


1Tn  Iftew 


His  observations  upon  the  nature  of  the 
soil  are  generally  more  accurate  and 
trustworthy  than  those  by  contemporary 
writers  :  "  The  Soyle  is  for  the  generall 
a  warme  kinde  of  earth,  there  being  little 
cold-spewing  land,  no  Morish  Fennes,  no 
Quagmires,  the  lowest  grounds  be  the 
Marshes,  over  which  every  full  and  change 
the  Sea  flowes  :  these  marshes  be  rich 
ground  and  bring  plenty  of  hay,  of  which 
the  cattle  feed  &  like,  as  if  they  were  fed 
with  the  best  up-land  Hay  in  New  Eng- 
land :  of  which  likewise  there  is  great 
store  which  growes  commonly  between 
the  Marshes  and  the  Woods.  This  Medow 
ground  lies  higher  than  the  Marshes, 
whereby  it  is  freed  from  the  over-flowing 
of  the  Seas  :  and  besides  this  in  many 
places  where  the  trees  grow  thinne,  there 
is  good  fodder  to  be  got  amongst  the 
woods."  l 

The  third    and    "great"    emigration 

under  Governor  Winthrop  consisted  of 

many  persons  of   good  and  competent 

1  Idem,  pp.  8,  n,  12. 

77 


^Evolution  of  Iborttculture 


estates.  Some  of  these  had  enjoyed,  in 
their  native  land,  the  best  of  society. 
Their  family  connections  were  honorable : 
their  professions  and  occupations  in  life 
had  been  excellent,  and  every  comfort 
which  the  possession  of  "  fruitful  lands, 
stately  buildings,  goodly  orchards  and 
gardens  could  afford,  had  been  at  their 
command."  It  was  from  these  last,  as 
would  naturally  be  expected,  that  the  ad- 
vancement in  the  various  forms  of  horti- 
culture, beyond  the  mere  production  of 
cereals  for  daily  bread,  rapidly  proceeded. 
While  noticing,  especially,  the  interest 
taken,  and  the  practical  method  pursued 
in  the  planting  of  orchards  and  the  pro- 
duction of  various  fruits  by  Bndicott  and 
Winthrop,  the  attempts  made  at  Plymouth 
in  the  same  direction  by  the  earlier  settlers 
and  by  Governor  Prince,  vestiges  of  which 
have  survived  to  the  present  day,  should 
not  be  overlooked.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  the  well  established  record  of 
the  apple  tree  planted  by  Peregrine  White, 
the  first  child  of  the  Pilgrims,  at  Marsh- 
78 


1Fn  1ftew  Bnglanfc 


field,  in  1648  ;  the  pear  tree  imported  by 
Governor  Prince,  in  1640,  from  England, 
and  planted  on  his  estate  at  Bastham; 
another  pear  tree  in  Yarmouth,  set  out 
by  Anthony  Thacher  in  1640,  and  which 
was  bearing  fruit  in  1872. 

In  the  Old  Colony,  trees  still  exist  which 
were  planted  by  the  first  settlers  or  by 
their  immediate  descendants,  in  close 
contiguity  to  their  houses,  and  which 
have  produced  fruit  that  has  sustained 
reputation  for  qualities  by  no  means 
inferior. 

July,  1632,  The  Court  of  Assistants 
granted  Governor  Endicott  three  hun- 
dred acres  of  land,  called  by  the  Indians 
Birchwood,  and  afterwards  known  as  his 
Orchard  Farm.  Its  situation,  north  of 
Salem,  was  very  desirable.  In  front  of  his 
house,  on  a  commanding  eminence,  he 
planted  his  orchard.  The  trees  were 
probably  removed  from  his  town  resi- 
dence in  Salem.  Among  these  was  a 
pear  tree,  which  tradition  affirms  was 
brought  from  England  with  Governor 
79 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


Winthrop  in  the  Arbella,  in  1630.  It  was 
situated  near  the  house,  and  evidently 
had  never  been  grafted,  for  the  fruit 
which  the  tree  produced  during  nearly 
two  hundred  years,  was  of  inferior 
quality.  Governor  Endicott,  generous, 
public  spirited,  vigorous,  and  useful  to  his 
fellow-planters,  was  much  interested  in 
horticultural  pursuits,  at  first  in  the  pro- 
duction of  cereals  and  vegetables  for  the 
daily  sustenance  of  the  settlement,  and 
later  in  the  propagation  of  fruit  trees,  as 
is  evident  by  his  correspondence  with 
Winthrop  and  others,  on  this  special 
subject. 

Governor  John  Winthrop  became  much 
engaged  in  assisting  the  humble  garden- 
ing work  of  the  first  settlers,  and,  like 
Kndicott,  turned  his  attention  to  orchard 
and  vine  planting.  September  6,  1631 : 
"The  General  Court  granted  Governor 
Winthrop  600  acres  of  land  near  his  house 
at  Mistick."  On  this  farm,  to  which  he 
gave  the  name  of  "Ten  Hills,"  he  lo- 
cated his  summer  residence,  and  inter- 
So 


Un  IRew 


ested  himself  in  agriculture.  Although 
there  is  no  account  extant  in  regard  to 
the  planting  of  orchards  at  this  place,  it 
may  be  inferred  from  the  following  letters 
from  Bndicott  to  Winthrop,  and  to  his 
son  John,  that  they  were  all  thus  occu- 
pied. 

April  22,  1644  :  "  I  humblie  and  hearti- 
lie  thanck  you  for  your  last  letter  of 
newes  &  for  the  trees  you  sent  me.  .  .  . 
I  haue  not  sent  you  any  trees,  because  I 
heard  not  from  you,  but  I  haue  trees  for 
you  if  you  please  to  accept  of  them  when- 
soever you  shall  send.  I  thinck  it  is  too 
late  to  sett  or  remoue.  I  could  wish  you 
to  remoue  in  the  latter  end  of  the 
yeare  your  trees,  &  I  pray  you  send 
mee  what  you  want  &  I  will  supply  what 
I  can." 

To  John  Winthrop,  Jun.,  at  "Ten  Hills," 
March  19,  1645  :  "  Let  mee  say  truelie  I 
account  not  myselfe  to  be  the  lesse  en- 
gaged vnto  you  concerning  what  you 
wrote,  for  any  such  small  courtesie  as  a 
few  trees.  What  trees  you  want  at 
6  81 


Evolution  of  tborticulture 


any  tyme  send  to  mee  for  them,  &  I 
will  supply  youe  as  longe  as  I  haue  a 
tree."1 

Wood,  in  his  description  of  the  various 
plantations  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  1633, 
says  :  "  The  next  Towne  is  Misticke, 
which  is  three  miles  from  Charles  Towne 
by  land,  and  a  league  and  a  halfe  by  wa- 
ter :  It  is  seated  by  the  waters  side  very 
pleasantly  :  there  be  not  many  house  as 
yet.  On  the  West  side  of  this  River  the 
Governour  hath  a  Farme,  where  he  keeps 
most  of  his  Cattle.  On  the  Bast  side  is 
Maister  Craddockes  plantation,  where  he 
hath  impailed  a  Parke,  where  he  keepes 
his  Cattle,  till  he  can  store  it  with 
Deere."  2 

April  2,  1632,  Conants  Island  in  Bos- 
ton Harbor  was  granted  to  Governor 
Winthrop,  and  the  name  was  thereafter 
changed  to  "The  Governour's  Garden." 
He  promised  for  this  gift  to  plant  an  or- 
chard and  a  vineyard  here,  and  engaged 

1  Mass.  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  vi.,  pp.  146,  147. 

2  Wood's  New  England  Prospect,  p.  46. 

82 


Un  1Kew  BnglanD 


to  pay  yearly  a  fifth  part  of  the  fruits 
thereof  forever  to  the  governor,  who- 
ever he  might  be.  In  1634  the  rent  was 
changed  by  the  General  Court  to  "  a  hogs- 
head of  the  best  wyne  that  shall  grow 
there  to  be  paide  yearly,  after  the  death 
of  the  said  John  Winthrop  and  noething 
before."  A  few  years  afterwards,  the  rent 
was  changed  to  "two  bushells  of  apples 
every  yeare  one  bushell  to  the  Governour 
&  another  to  the  Generall  Court  in  win- 
ter,— the  same  to  bee  of  the  best  apples 
there  growing."  The  records  of  the  Gen- 
eral Court  in  1640  show  that  "  Mr.  Win- 
throp, Senior,  paid  in  his  bushell  of 
apples."  l  John  Josselyn,  Gent.,  in  his 
account  of  his  departure  from  New  Kng- 
land,  October  n,  1639,  thus  alludes  to 
Winthrop' s  orchards  :  "  The  next  day 
Mr.  lyuxon  our  Master  having  been  ashore 
upon  the  Governorrs  Island  gave  me 
half  a  score  very  fair  Pippins  which  he 
brought  from  thence,  there  being  not  one 
Apple  tree,  nor  Pear  planted  yet  in  no 
1  Massachusetts  Records,  vol.  i.,  p.  94. 
83 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


part  of  the    Countrey,  but   upon    that 
Island."  » 

As  to  the  planting  of  vineyards,  it  is 
evident  that  the  process  was  not  gener- 
ally successful,  notwithstanding  the  ex- 
pectations of  the  early  settlers,  incited 
thereto  by  the  writings  of  those  who  had 
visited  New  England.  Thus  Wood,  who 
came  in  1629,  in  describing  the  various 
woods  and  fruits,  says  :  "  The  Home- 
bound  tree  is  a  tough  kind  of  Wood,  that 
requires  so  much  paines  in  riving  as  is 
almost  incredible,  being  the  best  for  to 
make  bolles  and  dishes,  not  being  subject 
to  cracke  or  leake.  This  tree  growing 
with  broad  spread  Armes,  the  vines  winde 
their  curling  branches  about  them  :  which 
vines  affoard  great  store  of  grapes  which 
are  very  big  both  for  the  grape  and  Clus- 
ter, sweet  and  good  :  These  be  of  two 
sorts,  red  and  white,  there  is  likewise  a 
smaller  kind  of  grape  which  groweth  in 
the  Islands  which  is  sooner  ripe  and  more 

1  Five  Voyages  to  New  England,  p.  232 ;  Mass. 
Historical  Collectors,  vol.  xxiii. 

84 


1fn  H*ew  JEnglanfc 


delectable  so  that  there  is  no  knowne 
reason  why  as  good  wine  may  not  be 
made  in  those  parts,  as  well  as  in  Bor- 
deaux in  France  :  being  under  the  same 
degree.  It  is  a  great  pittie  no  man  sets 
upon  such  a  venture,  whereby  he  might 
in  small  time  inrich  himselfe,  and  bene- 
fit the  Countrey,  I  know  nothing  which 
doth  hinder  but  want  of  skilful  men  to 
manage  such  an  imployment :  For  the 
countrey  is  hot  enough,  the  ground  good 
enough,  and  many  convenient  hills  which 
lye  toward  the  south  Sunne,  as  if  they 
were  there  placed  for  the  purpose."  l 

This  lack  of  success  was  also  evidently 
due  to  their  inexperience  in  the  business 
and  to  the  necessity  of  depending  upon 
their  own  exertions,  and  without  proper 
advice.  In  the  letter  of  instructions  from 
the  Company  to  Bndicott  and  his  Coun- 
cil, in  1629,  the  matter  in  question  is  thus 
mentioned.  "We  take  notice  that  you 
desire  to  have  Frenchmen  sent  you  that 
might  be  experienced  in  making  of  salt 
1  Wood's  New  England  Prospect,  p.  19. 
85 


Bvolutton  of  Iborticulture 


and  planting  of  vines.  We  have  inquired 
dilligently  for  such,  but  cannot  meet  with 
any  of  that  nation.  Nevertheless,  God, 
hath  not  left  us  altogether  unprovided  of 
a  man  able  to  undertake  that  work ;  for 
that  we  have  entertained  Mr.  Thomas 
Graves,  a  man  commended  to  us  as  well 
for  his  honesty,  as  skill  in  many  things 
very  useful."1 

Mr.  Graves  proved  a  most  valuable  ad- 
dition to  the  plantations  of  New  England, 
for  which  region  he  entertained  the  most 
exalted  ideas,  as  had  been  shown  by  his 
letters,  from  which  quotations  had  been 
made.  As  to  his  ability  in  the  planting 
of  vineyards,  and  the  manufacture  of 
wines,  there  is  no  historical  evidence. 

Wood  also  describes  other  indigenous 
productions  :  ' '  The  Wallnut  tree  is  some- 
thing different  from  the  English  Wallnut, 
being  a  great  deal  more  tough,  and  more 
serviceable,  and  altogether  as  heavie : 
These  trees  beare  a  very  good  nut,  some- 
thing smaller,  but  nothing  inferiour  in 

1  Young,  Mass.  Chron.,  p.  152. 

86 


1Fn  Iftew  BnglanD 


sweetnesse  and  goodnesse  to  the  English 
Nut,  having  no  bitter  pill.  There  is  like- 
wise a  tree  in  some  part  of  the  Countrey, 
that  beares  a  nut  as  bigge  as  a  small 
peare.  .  .  .  The  Cherrie  trees  yeeld 
great  store  of  Cherries,  which  grow  on 
clusters  like  grapes  :  they  be  much  smaller 
than  our  English  Cherrie,  nothing  neare 
so  good  if  they  be  not  very  ripe  :  they  so 
furre  the  mouth  that  the  tongue  will 
cleave  to  the  roofe,  and  the  throate  wax 
horse  with  swallowing  those  red  Bullies 
(as  I  may  call  them)  being  little  better  in 
taste.  English  ordering  may  bring  them 
to  be  an  English  Cherrie,  but  yet  they 
are  as  wilde  as  the  Indians.  The  Plummes 
of  the  Countrey  be  better  for  Plummes 
than  the  Cherries  be  for  Cherries :  they  be 
blacke  and  yellow  about  the  bignesse  of 
a  Damson,  of  a  reasonable  good  taste. 
The  white  thorne  affords  hawes  as  bigge 
as  an  English  Cherrie,  which  is  esteemed 
above  a  Cherrie  for  his  goodnesse  and 
pleasantnesse  to  the  taste."  1 

1  New  England  Prospect t  p.  18. 
87 


^Evolution  of  Horticulture 


In  addition  to  "  Misticke,"  Wood  thus 
describes  the  plantations  through  which 
the  Massachusetts  settlers  were  scattered, 
during  his  sojourn  among  them  from 
1629  to  1633  :  "Dorchester  which  is  the 
greatest  Towne  in  New  England  :  well 
wooded  and  watered :  very  good  arable 
grounds,  and  Hay-ground,  faire  Corne 
fields,  and  pleasant  gardens.  ...  A 
mile  from  this  Towne  lieth  Roxberry, 
which  is  a  faire  and  handsome  Countrey- 
towne  the  inhabitants  of  it  being  all  very 
rich.  .  .  Vp  westward  from  the  Towne 
it  is  something  rocky,  whence  it  hath  the 
name  of  Roxberry  :  the  inhabitants  have 
faire  houses,  store  of  Cattle,  impaled 
Corne-fields,  and  fruitful  Gardens.  Boston 
is  two  miles  North-east  from  Roxberry : 
its  situation  is  very  pleasant.  .  .  Their 
greatest  wants  be  Wood  and  Medow- 
ground,  which  were  never  in  that  place : 
being  constrayned  to  fetch  their  building- 
timber,  and  fire-wood  from  the  Hands  in 
Boates,  and  their  Hay  in  Loyters.  .  . 
This  Towne  although  it  be  neither  the 


1Tn  IRew  BnglanD 


greatest  nor  the  richest,  yet  it  is  the  most 
noted  and  frequented,  being  the  Center  of 
the  Plantations  where  the  monthly  Courts 
are  kept.  Here  likewise  dwells  the  Gov- 
ernour  :  This  place  hath  very  good  land, 
affording  rich  Corne-fields,  and  fruit efull 
Gardens:  having  likewise  sweete  and 
pleasant  springs. 

"  The  inhabitants  of  this  place  for  their 
enlargement,  have  taken  to  themselves 
Farme-houses,  in  a  place  called  Muddy- 
river,  two  miles  from  the  Towne  :  where 
is  good  ground,  large  timber,  and  store 
of  Marsh-land  and  Medow.  In  this  place 
they  keepe  their  Swine  and  other  Cattle 
in  the  Summer,  whilst  the  Corne  is  on 
the  ground  at  Boston,  and  bring  them  to 
the  Towne  in  Winter.  ...  On  the 
North-side  of  Charles  River  is  Charles 
Towne.  This  Towne  for  all  things,  may 
be  well  paralel'd  with  her  neighbour  Bos- 
ton, being  in  the  same  fashion  with  her 
bare  necke,  and  constrained  to  borrow 
conveniences  from  the  Maine,  and  to  pro- 
vide for  themselves  Farmes  in  the  Coun- 
89 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


trey  for  their  better  subsistance.  .  .  . 
By  the  side  of  this  River  is  built  New- 
town  e,  which  is  three  miles  by  land  from 
Charles  Towne,  and  a  league  and  a  halfe 
by  water.  The  inhabitants  most  of  them 
are  very  rich,  and  well  stored  with  Cattell 
of  all  sorts  :  having  many  hundred  Acres 
of  ground  paled  in  with  one  generall 
fence,  which  is  about  a  mile  and  a  halfe 
long,  which  secures  all  their  weaker  Cat- 
tle from  the  wilde  beasts.  On  the  other 
side  of  the  River  lieth  all  their  Medow 
and  Marsh-ground  for  Hay.  Halfe  a  mile 
Westward  of  this  plantation,  is  Water- 
towne:  a  place  nothing  inferiour  for 
land,  wood,  medow,  and  water  to  New- 
towne.  .  .  .  The  last  Towne  in  the 
still  Bay,  is  Winnisimet :  a  very  sweet 
place  for  situation,  and  stands  very  cotn- 
modiously,  being  fit  to  entertaine  more 
planters  than  are  yet  seated.  The  chief 
Hands  which  keepe  out  the  Winde  and 
Sea  from  disturbing  the  Harbours,  are 
first  Deare  Hand  and  Long  Hand.  .•  >.  • 
Divers  other  Hands  be  within  these :  viz. 
90 


In  Iftew  )5n0lanD 

Nodles  He,  Round  He,  the  Governours 
Garden,  where  is  planted  an  Orchard  and 
a  vine-yard,  with  many  other  conveni- 
ences. .  .  .  These  lies  abound  with 
Woods,  and  Water,  and  Medow-ground, 
and  whatsoever  the  spacious  fertile  Maine 
affords.  The  inhabitants  use  to  put  their 
Cattle  in  these  for  safety,  when  their  Corne 
is  on  the  ground. 

"The  next  plantation  is  Saugus,  sixe 
miles  North-east  from  Winnesmet.  This 
towne  is  pleasant  for  situation.  It  has  a 
sandy  Beach  two  miles  long  at  the  end, 
whereon  is  a  necke  of  land  called  Nahant. 
It  is  sixe  miles  in  circumference  :  well 
wooded  with  Oakes,  Pines,  and  Cedars: 
It  is  beside  well  watered.  In  this  necke 
is  store  of  good  ground,  fit  for  the  Plow  : 
but  for  the  present  it  is  onely  used  for  to 
put  young  catle  in,  and  weather-goates, 
and  Swine,  to  secure  them  from  the 
Woolves  :  a  few  posts  and  rayles  from  the 
low  water  markes  to  the  shore,  keepes 
out  the  Woolves,  and  keepes  in  the  Cat- 
tle. ...  On  the  North  side  of  the 


Evolution  of  Iborttculturc 


Bay  (on  which  Saugus  is  seated)  is  two 
great  Marshes,  which  are  made  two  by  a 
pleasant  River  which  runnes  between 
them.  At  the  mouth  of  this  river  runnes 
up  a  great  creeke  into  that  great  Marsh, 
which  is  called  Rumny  Marsh,  which  is 
4  miles  long  and  2  miles  broad  :  halfe  of 
it  being  Marsh  ground,  and  halfe  upland 
grasse,  without  tree  or  bush.  .  .  .  For 
wood  there  is  no  want,  there  being  store 
of  good  Oakes,  Wallnut,  Cedar,  Aspe, 
Elme.  The  ground  is  very  good,  in  many 
places  without  trees,  fit  for  the  plough. 
In  this  plantation  is  more  English  tillage, 
than  in  all  New-England,  and  Virginia 
besides :  which  proved  as  well  as  could 
bee  expected,  the  corne  being  very  good 
especially  the  Barly,  Rye,  and  Gates. 

"  Foure  miles  North-east  from  Saugus 
lyeth  Salem,  which  stands  on  the  middle 
of  a  necke  of  land  very  pleasantly  :  upon 
this  necke  where  most  of  the  houses  stand 
is  very  bad  and  sandil  ground,  yet  for 
seaven  yeares  together  it  hath  brought 
forth  exceeding  good  corne,  by  being 
92 


1Fn  Iftew 


fished  but  every  third  yeare :  in  some 
places  is  very  good  ground,  and  very  good 
timber,  and  divers  springs  hard  by  the 
sea  side.  Although  their  land  be  none  of 
the  best,  yet  beyond  those  rivers  is  a  very 
good  soyle,  where  they  have  taken 
farmes,  and  get  their  Hay,  and  plant 
their  corne :  there  they  crosse  these  riv- 
ers with  small  Cannowes,  which  are  made 
of  whole  pine  trees,  being  about  two  foot 
&  a  half  over,  and  20  foote  long. 

"  Agowamme  is  nine  miles  to  the  North 
from  Salem,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
spatious  places  for  a  plantation;  being 
neare  the  sea,  it  aboundeth  with  fish,  and 
flesh  of  fowles  and  beasts,  great  Meads 
and  Marshes  and  plaine  plowing  grounds, 
many  good  rivers  and  harbours  and  no 
rattle  snakes.  In  a  word,  it  is  the  best 
place  but  one,  which  is  Merrimacke,  ly- 
ing 8  miles  beyond  it,  where  is  a  river 
20  leagues  navigable ;  all  along  the  river 
side  is  fresh  marshes,  in  some  places 
5  mile  broad.  To  conclude,  the  Countrie 
hath  not  that  which  this  place  cannot 
93 


Evolution  of  Iborttculture 

yeeld.  So  that  these  two  places  may 
containe  twice  as  many  people  as  are  yet 
in  new  England:  there  being  as  yet 
scarce  any  inhabitants  in  these  two  spa- 
cious places.  These  be  all  the  Townes 
that  were  begun,  when  I  came  for  Eng- 
land, which  was  the  15  of  August  1633."  l 

Wood,  in  his  description  of  the  plan- 
tation at  Boston,  makes  no  allusion  to 
William  Blaxton,  the  first  settler  and  hor- 
ticulturist upon  the  peninsula,  except  to 
mention  that  "  on  the  South  side  of  the 
River  on  a  point  of  land  called  Blaxtons 
Point,  planted  Mr  William  Blackstone." 

It  has  been  affirmed  that  the  early  colo- 
nists found  this  peninsula  thinly  wooded, 
most  of  the  forest,  except  on  the  neck, 
having  been  burned  by  the  Indians  for 
the  purpose  of  clearing  the  land  and 
planting  it  with  corn.  Interesting  as 
are  the  well-known  incidents  in  the  life 
of  Blaxton,  we  are  here  concerned  only 
with  those  which  are  appropriate  to  his 
horticultural  work.  Coming  to  Shawmut 
1  New  England  Prospect,  pp.  41-48. 
94  .  .:> 


Un  Iftew  Bnglano 


in  1625,  he  selected,  as  the  most  desirable 
spot,  the  sunny  southwestern  slopes  of 
Trimountain.  Here  he  erected  his  cot- 
tage, and  near  it  planted  his  orchard  and 
garden.  These  last  were  well  established 
when  Winthrop  and  other  colonists 
moved  over,  at  Blaxton's  invitation,  from 
Charlestown,  chiefly  to  obtain  the  pure 
water  so  abundantly  offered  by  delicious 
springs.  The  Massachusetts  Records, 
April,  1633,  contain  the  following  item  : 
"It  is  agreed  that  William  Blackstone 
shall  have  fifty  acres  set  out  for  him  near 
his  house  in  Boston  to  enjoy  forever." 
In  the  following  year  he  sold  all  this  ter- 
ritory upon  which  stood  his  dwelling  and 
orchard.  This  orchard,  the  first  in  New 
England,  is  spoken  of  in  a  publication  of 
1765,  as  still  producing  fruit,  and  is  men- 
tioned in  the  deeds  of  subsequent  possess- 
ors. In  1635,  for  various  reasons,  Blaxton 
removed  to  Rehoboth,  where  he  was  the 
first  settler  within  its  original  limits.  Here 
he  erected  a  house,  and  planted  an  or- 
chard upon  the  protected  slopes  of  Sunny 
95 


Evolution  of  fjorticulture 


Hill,  overlooking  Blackstone  River, 
which  was  the  first  that  bore  apples  in 
the  State  of  Rhode  Island,  and  also  long 
continued  noted  for  its  excellent  fruit. 
Until  an  advanced  age,  he  here  quietly 
pursued  his  literary  and  horticultural 
tastes,  which  were  of  the  best,  and  for 
which  his  name  should  be  honored. 

A  few  years  after  the  settlement  at 
Plymouth,  plantations  had  been  com- 
menced north  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  at 
Saco,  Agamenticus,  and  Cocheco,  as  also 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Piscataqua.  These 
were  in  a  languishing  condition  during 
several  years.  On  the  rivers  more  to  the 
eastward  plantations  had  also  been  early 
attempted  on  the  Kennebec,  Androscog- 
gin,  and  Penobscot,  almost  entirely  for 
the  purposes  of  fishing  and  trading,  al- 
though "farming"  was  also  sometimes 
included  among  the  incentives.  Little 
or  no  horticultural  efforts,  however,  were 
made  beyond  raising  corn  for  sustenance. 

The  first  settlement  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Piscataqua  was  made  in  1623,  under 
96 


1fn  IRew  JSnglanD 


Ambrose  Gibbons,  the  agent  of  the  La- 
conia,  or  Mason  and  Gorges  colony.  The 
object  in  view  was  "to  found  a  planta- 
tion on  this  river  to  cultivate  the  vine, 
discover  mines,  carry  on  the  fisheries, 
and  trade  with  the  natives."  One  of  the 
favorite  schemes  of  Mason  was  vine  grow- 
ing, and  he  wrote  to  Gibbons,  saying: 
"I  pray  you  look  well  to  the  vines." 
Gibbons  answered  :  "The  vines  that  were 
planted  will  come  to  nothing.  They 
prosper  not  in  the  ground  where  they 
were  set,  but  them  that  grow  naturally 
are  very  good  of  divers  sorts."  This 
lovely  valley  was  known  as  "The  Vine- 
yard," and  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  cen- 
tury there  were  so  many  vines  left,  that 
they  may  have  been  a  survival  of  those 
planted  by  the  hands  of  Europeans. 

The  barberries,  other  fruits,  and  vari- 
ous herbs  evidently  brought  from  Eng- 
land, and  that  found  a  favorable  soil  and 
climate  in  this  natural  garden,  as  well  as 
the  soft  fine  turf,  which  rarely  grows  ex- 
cept where  man  has  dealt  much  with  the 
7  97 


^Evolution  of  tborticulture 


ground,  seem  to  mark  the  locality  of  a 
very  old  settlement — * '  a  settlement  busy, 
featless,  and  well  fed,  when  Plymouth 
colonists  were  defending  themselves 
against  Indians  and  starvation. "  1 

No  mention  is  made  of  the  cultivation 
of  cereals,  as  the  colony  was  well  fos- 
tered by  Mason  and  Gorges,  who  were 
men  of  means,  and  spent  freely  in  behalf 
of  the  early  settlers,  although  actuated  by 
great  expectations  of  amassing  wealth  for 
themselves. 

Josselyn,  in  his  account  of  his  first 
voyage  to  New  England,  says:  "The 
Twelfth  day  of  July,  1638,  after  I  had 
taken  my  leave  of  Mr.  Maverick  and 
some  other  Gentlemen,  I  took  boat  for 
the  Eastern  parts  of  the  Countrie,  and 
arrived  at  Black  point  in  the  Province  of 
Main,  which  is  150  miles  from  Boston. 
.  .  .  The  Countrey  all  along  as  I 
sailed  being  no  other  than  a  meer  wilder- 
ness, here  and  there  by  the  Sea-side  a 

1 "  Old  Town  of  Berwick,"  New  England 
Magazine,  July,  1894.  S.  O.  Jewett. 


1Fn  Iftew  BnglanD 

few  scattered   plantations,   with  as  few 
houses."  1 

In  1639,  a  settlement  under  Mr.  Wheel- 
wright was  begun  on  a  tributary  of  the 
Piscataqua,  and  called  Exeter.  Eastward 
of  this  were  large  marshes  which  pro- 
duced a  native  grass  that  was  used  as  a 
fodder  before  a  more  nutritious  one  was 
raised  upon  the  uplands.  Two  years  pre- 
viously, a  settlement  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  Massachusetts  had  been  started  at 
Hampton.  While  the  site  of  many  of 
the  early  settlements  was  undoubtedly 
determined  by  the  good  arable  soil  found 
in  the  valleys  of  the  large  rivers,  and  the 
consequent  better  horticultural  opportu- 
nities presented,  there  were  other  causes 
that  combined  to  promote  the  advance 
of  the  last  mentioned,  among  which  the 
Antinomian  dispersion  may  be  included. 

Almost    simultaneously  with   the   re- 
moval of  Blaxton  to  Rehoboth  and  Roger 
Williams  to  Seekonk,  and  afterwards  to 
Providence,    there    was    an    important 
1  Five  Voyages^  etc. 
99 


^Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


movement  towards  the  west.  Even  pre- 
vious to  this  period,  Plymouth  had  sent 
emissaries  to  Connecticut  River  for  dis- 
covery and  trade,  who  on  return  reported 
"a  fine  place  for  plantation  and  trade." 
Later,  among  the  Massachusetts  planta- 
tions, intelligence  arrived  of  the  fertility 
of  that  region,  which  induced  in  many 
the  wish  to  transplant  themselves  from 
the  less  productive  soil  upon  which  they 
had  settled  at  first.  Especially  was  this 
plan  entertained  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Roxbury,  Dorchester,  Watertown,  and 
Newtown.  The  principal  reasons  given 
for  removal  were:  "i.  Their  want  of 
accommodation  for  their  cattle.  .  .  . 

2.  The  fruitfulness  and  commodiousness 
of  Connecticut,  and  the  danger  of  having 
it  possessed  by  others,  Dutch  or  English. 

3.  The  strong  bent  of  their  spirits  to  re- 
move thither."  1     There  is  little  direct 
mention  of  horticultural  work  in  which 
the  early  settlements  in  the  Connecticut 

1  Winthrop,  History  of  New  England,  vol.  i.,  p. 
140. 

100 


Un  mew  England 


valley  were  engaged.  The  land  for  tillage 
was  closely  subdivided,  the  pasturage  and 
forest  lands  were  held  and  used  in  com- 
mon. In  the  first  records  of  the  various 
communities  most  frequent  allusion  is 
made  to  the  Indian  corn,  raised  either 
by  themselves,  or  gathered  by  trading 
with  the  Indians.  The  mode  of  planting 
had  been  introduced  from  the  Plymouth 
and  Massachusetts  colonies,  although  the 
fertile,  alluvial  soil  did  not  then  require 
the  application  of  dressing.  In  the  set- 
tlement of  Agawam  (Springfield)  the  town 
was  to  be  limited  to  fifty  families,  each 
head  of  a  family  to  have  "  a  house-lot 
and  an  allotment  of  planting  grounds, 
pasture,  meadow,  marsh,  and  timber 
land."  In  1645,  it  was  voted  "  That  if 
any  neighbour  shall  desire  to  enclose  his 
yard  with  a  garden  or  an  orchard,  if  his 
next  neighbour  refuse  to  joyne  for  ye 
one  half  of  the  said  fence,  he  may  com- 
pel his  neighbours  on  each  side  of  his  lot 
to  beare  ye  one  halfe  of  his  fence,  and  in 
case  his  neighbour  shall  refuse  to  doe  his 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


share  of  the  said  fence  within  three 
months  after  demande,  He  shall  be  liable 
to  pay  damages  as  two  indifferent  men 
shall  award,  which  shall  be  chosen  by 
the  party es  in  controversy."  1  In  the 
same  year  the  following  vote  was  taken  : 
"  Whereas  the  Plan  tinge  of  Indian  Corne 
in  the  meddowe  Swamp  on  ye  other  side 
of  Agawam  river,  hath  occasioned  a  long 
stay  after  moowinge  tyme  before  men  can 
put  over  theyr  Cattell  thither  :  Therefere 
it  is  ordered  that  no  more  Indian  corne 
shall  be  planted,  neither  in  the  meddowe 
nor  in  ye  Swampes,  that  so  the  Cattell  of 
all  those  that  have  alotments  there  may 
be  put  over  by  ye  I5th  of  September." 
The  early  settlers  were  often  much  an- 
noyed in  their  agricultural  and  horticul- 
tural affairs,  by  the  trespassing  of  swine, 
consequently  it  was  decreed  that  "All 
swine  that  breake  into  any  man's  corne 
ground  or  meddowe  y  t  it  sufficiently  fenced 
against  yoked  hoggs  :  in  case  men  let  ye 
Swine  run  abroad  unyoked  if  they  breake 
1  History  of  Springfield  by  M.  A.  Green,  p.  78. 
IO2 


Hn  Iftew 


in  and  doe  any  man  Trespass,  then  mas- 
ter of  the  sayd  Swine  shall  be  lyable  to 
pay  all  damages  as  two  indifferent  men 
shall  Judge  ye  damage  to  be  :  but  if  Swine 
shall  be  yoked  and  runge  then  they  are 
free  from  damages."  l 

The  general  planting  of  orchards  did 
not  engage  the  attention  of  the  eastern 
or  Connecticut  valley  settlers  at  a  very 
early  period.  As  in  the  Plymouth  or 
Massachusetts  Bay  colonies,  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  cereals  and  the  requisite  vege- 
tables for  sustenance  was  of  course  the 
first  horticultural  matter  which  required 
their  exertions.  And  yet  the  enactment 
passed  by  the  Court  of  Massachusetts  in 
1646,  and  the  similar  laws  by  authority  in 
other  plantations,  show  the  interest  taken 
in  all  branches  of  horticulture  from  the 
very  first.  This  was  that  the  person  who 
should  be  known  to  rob  any  orchard  or 
garden,  or  who  should  injure  or  steal  any 
graft  or  fruit  tree,  should  forfeit  treble 
damages  to  the  owner.2 
1  Idem,  p.  80.  3  Mass.  Records^  vol.  ii.,  p.  180. 
103 


Bvolution  of  Iborticulture 


Records  are  extant  of  the  setting  of 
orchards  in  Saco,  York,  and  in  other 
plantations  in  Maine,  dating  almost  from 
their  existence  as  centres  of  civilization. 
In  Connecticut,  there  are  also  scattered 
notices  of  fruit  trees  still  lingering  as 
relics  of  ancient  orchards. 

In  this  connection,  the  following  cor- 
respondence with  Governor  John  Win- 
throp,  Jr.,  is  of  interest.  George  Fen  wick 
of  Say  brook,  writes  May  6,  1641 :  "I 
haue  receaued  the  trees  yow  sent  me,  for 
which  I  hartily  thanke  yow.  If  I  had 
any  thing  heare  that  could  pleasure  yow 
yow  should  frely  command  it.  I  am  pret- 
tie  well  storred  with  chirrie  &  peach  trees, 
&  did  hope  I  had  had  a  good  nurserie  of 
aples,  of  the  aples  yow  sent  me  last  yeare, 
but  the  wormes  have  in  a  manner  dis- 
troyedthem  all  as  they  came  up." 

John  Mason  also  writing  from  Saybrook 
in  1654,  says  to  the  Governor,  "  forget  not 
to  prouide  for  the  planting  some  trees  at 
spring."  In  the  following  year  he  wrote 
to  Mrs.  Winthrop  :  "  I  haue  sent  ten  apple 
104 


•ffn  Bew  Bnglanfc 


trees  by  Goodman  Stoylyon  to  your  selfe. 
I  suppose  they  will,  most  of  them,  be 
planted  in  the  north  end  of  your  orchard. 
I  would  have  sent  more  if  I  had  thought 
there  were  a  place.  I  haue  alsoe  sent 
Thomas  Bayley  thirty  grafted  trees,  as 
hee  desired  mee."  1 

From  this  period  up  to  the  middle  of 
the  seventeenth  century,  there  are  few 
references  to  the  horticulture  of  the  New 
England  plantations.  Josselyn,  who  came 
to  this  country  in  1665,  on  his  second 
voyage,  in  his  account  enumerates  the 
English  towns  upon  the  coast  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Connecticut  followed  by  those 
on  the  Connecticut  River,  and  those  be- 
longing to  the  Plymouth  and  Massachu- 
setts Colonies,  but  refers  to  the  orchards 
only  as  follows  :  "  Our  fruit  Trees  pros- 
per abundantly,  Apple  trees,  Pear-trees, 
Quince-trees,  Cherry-trees,  Plum-trees, 
Barberry-trees.  I  have  observed  with  ad- 
miration, that  the  Kernels  sown  or  the 

1  Mass.  Hist.  Collections,  4th  series,  vol.  vi.,  p. 
490. 

105 


Evolution  of  Iborticultute 


Succors  planted  produce  as  fair  &  good 
fruit,  without  grafting,  as  the  tree  from 
whence  they  were  taken  :  the  Countrey 
is  replenished  with  fair  and  large  Or- 
chards. It  was  affirmed  by  one  Mr  Wool- 
cut  (a  magistrate  in  Connecticut  Colony) 
at  the  Captains  Messe  (of  which  I  was) 
aboard  the  Ship  I  came  home  in,  that  he 
made  Five  hundred  Hogsheads  of  Syder 
out  of  his  own  Orchard  in  one  year.  Sy- 
der is  very  plentiful  in  the  Countrey, 
ordinarily  sold  for  ten  shillings  a  Hogs- 
head. 

"The  Quinces,  Cherries,  Damsons,  set 
the  Dames  a  work,  Marmalad  and  pre- 
served Damsons  is  to  be  met  with  in 
every  house.  It  was  not  long  before  I 
left  the  Countrey  that  I  made  Cherry 
wine,  and  so  may  others,  for  there  are 
good  store  of  them  both  red  and  black. 
Their  fruit  trees  are  subject  to  two  dis- 
eases, the  Meazels,  which  is  when  they 
are  burned  and  scorched  with  the  Sun, 
and  lowsiness,  when  the  woodpeckers 
job  holes  in  their  bark  :  the  way  to  cure 
106 


1Fn 


them  when  they  are  lowsie  is  to  bore  a 
hole  in  the  main  root  with  an  Augur,  and 
pour  in  a  quantity  of  Brandie  or  Rhum, 
and  then  stop  it  up  with  a  pin  made  of 
the  same  Tree."  l 

The  plantation  by  the  French  refugees 
was  commenced  in  1686,  upon  a  grant  of 
land  which  had  been  made  in  1683  by  the 
Massachusetts  General  Court  to  certain 
Scotch  people  who  contemplated  settle- 
ment in  this  country.  This  grant,  known 
as  the  Oxford,  was  situated  in  the  Nip- 
muck  country  and  consisted  of  about 
2500  acres,  which,  although  generally 
covered  with  forest,  had  upon  its  plains, 
open  areas,  cultivated  by  the  Indians  for 
corn  and  vegetables.  The  meadows  up- 
on the  streams  were  considered  valuable 
for  the  grass  they  yielded.  In  fact,  this 
region  was  decided  to  be  well  selected  on 
account  of  its  ability  to  supply  the  means 
of  subsistence.  As  the  stipulated  time 
for  occupying  the  land  by  the  Scotch  set- 

1  Mass.  Hist.  Collections \  3d  series,  vol.  xxiii., 
p.  337- 

107 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


tiers  liad  for  various  reasons  expired,  the 
grant  was  open  to  the  Huguenots,  a  great 
proportion  of  whom,  soon  after  their  ar- 
rival in  Boston,  removed  to  Oxford.  The 
location  of  the  chosen  settlement  was 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  southeast  of  the 
present  village.  Mills  for  grinding  grain 
and  furnishing  lumber  were  first  pro- 
vided. Upon  the  eastern  borders  of  the 
plains,  near  the  meadows  and  stream, 
houses  were  erected.  Upon  an  eminence 
commanding  their  hamlet,  a  suitable  fort 
was  built  for  protection  against  the  In- 
dians. ' '  From  the  evidences  of  their  skill 
in  cultivation,  it  is  easy  to  believe  that 
during  their  residence  here  these  people 
wrought  a  great  change  in  the  aspect  of 
the  place,  and  by  their  well  directed 
labour,  wide  and  fertile  fields  and  fruitful 
gardens  were  made  to  flourish  where  be- 
fore existed  only  the  unprofitable  growths 
of  the  original  forests.'* 

"  According  to  good  authority,  there 
was  a  garden  outside  the  fort  on  the  west, 
containing    asparagus,    grapes,     plums, 
108 


IKew  Bnglanfc 


cherries,  and  gooseberies.  There  were 
more  than  ten  acres  cultivated  around 
the  fort.  Such  a  garden  in  the  wilder- 
ness, when  we  consider  circumstances, 
seems  a  strange  thing,  but  doubtless  a 
refined  taste  and  a  desire  to  perpetuate 
in  this  new  western  home  some  of  the 
sweet  memories  of  sunny  France  had 
much  to  do^ith  its  existence." 1 

"They  were  acknowledged  to  be  the 
best  agriculturists,  wine  growers,  mer- 
chants, and  manufacturers  in  France. 
No  heavier  crops  were  grown  in  France 
than  on  the  Huguenot  farms  in  the  south- 
west provinces.  The  diligence,  skill,  and 
labour  with  which  they  subdued  the  stub- 
born soil  and  made  it  yield  its  increase 
of  flowers  and  fruits  and  corn  and  wine 
bore  witness  in  all  quarters  to  the  toil  and 
energy  of  the  men  of  the  religion."  9 

From  the  foundation  of  the  colony,  in 
1686  to  the  spring  of  1694,  there  were 

1  The    Huguenots  in    the    Nipmuck    Country^ 
George  F.  Daniels. 
3  Smile's  History  of  the  Huguenots. 
109 


Bx>olutfon  of  Ibotttculture 


gradual  growth  and  prosperity,  but  now 
the  threatening  aspect  of  the  Indians 
paralyzed  the  promising  success.  The 
plantations  and  homes  were  deserted  and 
the  settlers  hastened  for  safety  to  their 
strongholds ;  the  fields  of  grain,  fruits,  and 
gardens  were  left  unprotected  to  the 
range  of  wild  animals  and  cattle.  A 
fearful  massacre  of  a  family  decided  their 
fate.  Hastily  gathering  their  few  valu- 
ables, the  entire  company  returned  to 
Boston.  Documentary  evidence  shows 
that  a  temporary  re-settlement  of  the 
place  was  made  in  1700,  but  owing  to 
menacing  Indians  a  final  abandonment 
of  the  settlement  took  place  before  1713. 
The  Huguenots  that  settled  in  and  about 
Boston,  in  spite  of  their  numerous  hard- 
ships "  brought  with  them  qualities  that 
were  needed  at  that  day.  They  brought 
a  buoyancy  and  a  cheerfulness,  that  must 
have  been  contagious,  even  amidst  per- 
vading austerity."  1  Wherever  they  went, 

1  The  Huguenot  Emigration  to  America,  B.  C. 
W.  Baird. 

1 10 


1Tn  Iftew  BnglanD 


they  carried  with  them  a  taste  for  the 
beautiful,  a  taste  which  was  not  only  in- 
nate, but  which  had  been  promoted  dur- 
ing the  journeys  between  the  seaboard 
and  the  Nipmuck  country,  when  as  they 
slowly  accompanied  their  household 
goods,  they  had  ample  opportunity  to 
observe  the  grandeur  of  the  primeval 
forests  and  the  wonderful  vegetation 
which  they  contained :  the  shrubs  and 
myriads  of  plants  clothed  in  brilliant 
colors,  the  ferns  that  grew  in  the  greatest 
luxuriance,  the  climbing  vines,  especially 
the  grape,  its  delicious  fruit  so  familiar 
and  welcome  to  them,  hanging  in  abund- 
ant clusters,  and  the  great  variety  of 
tempting  wild  berries.  The  taste  for  the 
beautiful  was  manifested  by  them  within 
the  city,  not  only  in  the  culture  of  lovely 
flowers  and  fine  vegetables,  but  of  choice 
fruit,  especially  of  pears,  some  trees  of 
which  remained  in  the  gardens  of  the 
Faneuils  and  Johonnots  until  the  man- 
sions were  destroyed.  A  refugee,  in  a 
letter  from  Boston  to  his  family  in 
in 


Bvolutfon  of  Dortf culture 


France,  says  :  "Vegetables  as  cabbages, 
turnips,  onions,  and  carrots  are  cheap  and 
in  abundance.  Moreover  there  are  quanti- 
ties of  wild  nuts,  chestnuts  and  hazel- 
nuts.  The  fruit  is  small  but  wonderfully 
palatable.  I  am  assured  that  the  woods 
are  full  of  strawberries  in  their  season. 
No  one  doubts  that  the  vine  will  do  very 
well ;  some  plants  that  have  been  set  out 
in  the  country  have  put  forth." 

We  have  already  noticed  the  earliest 
introduction  of  the  cultivation  of  fruit, 
especially  in  the  Plymouth  and  Mas- 
sachusetts plantations.  Few  records 
exist  of  the  horticultural  progress  during 
the  succeeding  one  hundred  years, — ex- 
cept the  statement  that  the  gardens  of 
New  England,  fifty  years  after  the  settle- 
ment of  the  country,  were  as  well  stocked 
as  they  were  many  years  after  this, — until 
a  paper  was  published  in  the  Philosophi- 
cal Transactions  y  communicated  in  1726 
by  Hon.  Paul  Dudley,  in  which  he  speaks 
of  the  size  and  cultivation  of  fruit  and 
vegetables  in  Roxbury,  but  makes  no 

112 


•ffn  Iftew 


mention  of  flowers.  "Our  apples  are 
without  doubt  as  good  as  those  of  Eng- 
land, and  much  fairer  to  look  to,  and  so 
are  the  pears,  but  we  have  not  got  all  the 
sorts.  Our  peaches  do  rather  excel  those 
of  England,  and  then  we  have  not  the 
trouble  or  expence  of  walls  for  them  :  for 
our  pear  trees  are  all  standards,  and  I 
have  had  in  my  own  garden  seven  or 
eight  hundred  fine  peaches  of  the  Rare- 
ripes, growing  at  a  time  on  one  tree.  Our 
people,  of  late  years,  have  run  so  much 
upon  orchards,  that  in  a  village  near  Bos- 
ton, consisting  of  about  forty  families, 
they  made  near  three  thousand  barrels  of 
cyder.  This  was  in  the  year  1721.  And 
in  another  town  of  two  hundred  families, 
in  the  same  year  I  am  credibly  informed 
they  made  near  ten  thousand  barrels. 
Our  peach  trees  are  large  and  fruitful, 
and  bear  commonly  in  three  years  from 
the  stone.  Our  common  cherries  are  not 
so  good  as  the  Kentish  cherries  of  Eng- 
land, and  we  have  no  Dukes  or  Heart 
cherries,  unless  in  two  or  three  gardens." 
8  113 


Bvolutfon  of  Iborticulturc 


Justice  Dudley  also  gives  some  remarka- 
ble instances  of  vegetable  growth. 

The  gardens  of  Boston,  in  the  fullest 
acceptation  of  the  term,  combining  the 
useful  and  ornamental,  the  orchard,  the 
vegetable  and  flowering  plants,  were 
found,  in  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  mostly  attached  to  the  residences 
of  the  more  wealthy  citizens.  References 
are  occasionally  and  briefly  made  by 
writers  to  a  few  which  existed  many  years 
previously.  Thus  the  house  of  Governor 
Winthrop,  which  stood  nearly  opposite 
the  foot  of  School  Street,  was  with  the 
garden  attached  called  "The  Green." 
We  obtain  a  mere  glimpse  of  the  disposi- 
tion and  size  of  the  garden  from  any  ac- 
counts extant.  When  the  house  was 
destroyed  by  the  British,  they  cut  down  a 
fine  row  of  buttonwoods  that  skirted  the 
enclosure.  There  were  lanes  which  ran 
up  from  the  harbor's  edge  that  bounded 
Winthrop's  garden,  as  also  those  of  the 
neighborhood.  It  was  in  this  that  the 
Governor  hospitably  entertained  D'Aul- 
114 


fit  Iflew  Bn^IanD 

nay  and  his  attendants.  "  The  Lord's 
day  they  were  here,  and  the  Governour, 
finding  that  the  place  where  they  lodged 
would  not  be  convenient  for  them  that 
day,  invited  them  home  to  his  house, 
where  they  continued  private  all  that 
day  until  sunset,  and  made  use  of  such 
books  as  he  had,  Latin  and  French,  and 
the  liberty  of  a  private  walk  in  his  garden, 
and  so  gave  no  offence."  l 

Among  the  earliest  gardens  of  which 
we  have  any  decided  record,  may  be  men- 
tioned that  of  Gamaliel  Wayte  on  "Ye 
Mylne  Street,"  which  was  afterwards,  and 
has  since  been  known  as  Summer  Street. 
Wayte  came  over  with  Edward  Hutchin- 
son,  and  although  called  a  planter  was 
soon  recognized  as  an  excellent  horticul- 
turist, and  his  garden,  which  was  planted 
in  1642,  was  well  known  for  its  delicious 
fruits,  and  continued  long  afterwards  to 
remain  beautified  by  many  flowering 
plants.  This  street  afterwards  became 
noted  for  many  other  gardens,  which 
1  Winthrop's  History  of  New  England. 


Bvolutfon  of  Iborticulture 


contributed  to  render  it  one  of  the  most 
delightful  of  the  city.  Here  were  the  es- 
tates of  the  Coffins,  Geyers,  Barrells,  Rus- 
sells,  Prebles,  Lydes,  and  others,  divided 
into  orchards  and  gardens,  "and  these 
hospitable  residents  could  set  before  their 
guests  cider  of  their  own  manufacture,  or 
butter  from  their  own  dairies.  As  late  as 
1815,  there  was  a  pasture  of  two  acres  in 
Summer  Street,  and  the  tinkling  of  cow- 
bells was  by  no  means  an  unusual  sound 
there." 

Upon  the  eastern  and  southern  slopes 
of  Cotton,  afterwards  Pemberton,  Hill, 
were  the  residences  and  gardens  of  Bndi- 
cott,  Vane,  Bellingham,  Cotton,  Faneuil, 
Davenport,  Oxenbridge,  and  others. 
These  estates,  at  an  early  period,  were 
terraced  and  planted  with  vines,  fruits, 
ornamental  and  flowering  shrubs,  accord- 
ing to  the  taste  then  prevalent  in  Eng- 
land. And  thus  they  were  continued  in 
the  possession  of  the  succeeding  owners, 
until  finally  all  were  swept  away  by  the 
ruthless  rage  for  improvement.  As  a 
116 


fit  Iftew 


type  of  these,  may  especially  be  men- 
tioned the  Faneuil  mansion,  nearly  op- 
posite the  King's  Chapel,  which  was 
afterwards  purchased  by  William  Phillips, 
senior.  With  this  estate  I  was  intimately 
acquainted.  The  deep  court-yard,  in 
front  ornamented  by  flowers  and  various 
shrubs,  was  divided  into  an  upper  and 
lower  level  surface  by  a  high,  sloping, 
grassy  bank,  surmounted  by  a  richly 
wrought  iron  railing  adorned  with  gilt 
balls.  The  edifice  was  of  brick,  having 
over  the  entrance  door  a  semicircular 
balcony.  The  terraces,  which  rose  from 
the  paved  court  behind  the  house,  were 
supported  by  heavy  walls  of  granite,  and 
ascended  by  steps  of  the  same  material. 
Upon  these  were  planted  numerous 
choice  grape  vines  and  fruit  trees  of  vari- 
ous sorts,  while  beds  of  flowers,  orna- 
mental trees,  and  shrubs  were  otherwise 
tastefully  arranged. 

The  most  extensive  and  highly  embel- 
lished garden  of  this  locality  was  that  of 
Gardiner  Greene,  in  which  he  had  one 
117 


^Evolution  of  t>ortfculture 


of  the  first  greenhouses  in  Boston,  and 
cultivated  in  the  open  air  the  Black  Ham- 
burg and  Chasselas  grapes,  peaches,  apri- 
cots, nectarines,  as  also  plums  and  a  great 
variety  of  pears.  The  entire  grounds 
were  adorned  by  both  nature  and  art. 

Occupying  the  southern  slope  of  Cotton 
Hill  and  on  Beacon  Street  was  the  fine 
mansion  of  Lieutenant-Governor  Phillips, 
which  afterwards  belonged  to  Edward 
Bromfield.  Behind  this  was  a  paved 
court-yard  and  a  large  terraced  garden, 
noted  for  its  flowers  and  fruits,  and  also 
for  some  noble  trees,  which  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  British  for  fuel. 

Adjoining  this  estate  was  that  of  Gov- 
ernor Bowdoin,  upon  which  was  a  very 
large  garden,  extending  back  to  the  pres- 
ent Ashburton  Place,  and  famous  for  the 
finest  fruit  in  the  greatest  variety  and 
abundance. 

Farther  to  the  westward,  and  just  be- 
yond the  present  State  House  was  the 
well  known  Governor  Hancock  mansion, 
with  the  adjoining  nursery,  pasture,  or- 
118 


1Tn  Iftew 


chards,  and  garden.  The  latter,  which 
extended  back  to  Mt.  Vernon  Street,  and 
received  constant  accessions  from  Eng- 
land, was  laid  out  in  flower-beds  bordered 
with  box,  while  large  box  trees,  and  a 
great  variety  of  fruit,  among  which  were 
several  immense  mulberries,  occupied 
the  remaining  space. 

At  the  north  end  of  the  town,  previous 
to  the  Revolution,  were  the  residences 
of  Governors  Thomas  Hutchinson  and 
Frankland,  both  of  which  had  extensive 
gardens,  which  were  well  stocked  with 
the  flowers  and  various  fruits  of  those 
days.  The  old  Bowling  Green,  afterwards 
Bowdoin  Square,  was  the  locality  of 
many  fine  old  ancestral  estates  with  acres 
of  gardens,  orchards,  and  stately  trees. 
Here  the  Bootts  lived,  their  garden  being 
long  celebrated  for  its  choice  fruits  and 
rare  plants,  which  were  obtained  through 
the  influence  of  Dr.  Francis  Boott,  who 
was  well  known  as  a  botanist  in  England. 
Here  also  were  the  homes  of  the  Gores, 
Parkmans,  I^ymans,  Coolidges,  and 
119 


^Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


others,  to  all  of  which  were  attached  gar- 
dens more  or  less  extensive. 

Space  will  not  allow  the  mention  of 
other  gardens  of  more  or  less  notoriety  in 
other  parts  of  Boston  in  former  days,  nor 
of  the  "  Training  Field "  or  Common, 
nor  of  the  origin  of  the  present  Public 
Garden,  commenced  in  1859.  There  was, 
however,  in  connection  with  the  estab- 
lishment of  this  enterprise  a  provision 
made  for  the  instruction  and  benefit  of 
the  public  which  is  now  known  to  but 
few  of  the  present  inhabitants.  This  con- 
sisted in  the  conversion  of  a  huge  circus 
building  that  stood  on  land  west  of  the 
corner  of  Beacon  and  Charles  Streets,  into 
an  immense  conservatory  for  plants  and 
birds.  The  plants  were  arranged  in  the 
four  galleries  according  to  a  proper  classi- 
fication. The  birds  were  a  fine  collection 
of  European  and  tropical  songsters, 
among  which  were  some  rare  specimens. 
The  following  extract  is  from  a  news- 
paper of  the  day,  and  gives  some  idea  of 
its  contents:  "We  advise  our  friends 
120 


Un  1ftew  JBnglanfc 


who  are  as  usual  seeking  amusement 
during  the  Christmas  holidays  not  to 
omit  looking  in  at  the  Public  conserva- 
tory. There  are  above  one  thousand 
Camelia  Japonica  plants,  some  of  the 
largest  now  in  full  splendor,  and  others, 
on  the  point  of  bursting  their  beautiful 
buds.  Among  them  are  at  least  twenty 
full-grown  trees,  ten  to  thirty  years  old. 
It  is  calculated  that  during  the  next  five 
or  six  weeks  several  thousand  Camelia 
blossoms  will  expand  :  hundreds  are  now 
in  full  bloom,  and  contrast  beautifully 
with  the  dark  glossy  foliage.'* 

This  conservatory  proved  one  of  the 
greatest  attractions  that  could  be  offered 
by  a  city,  and  I  remember  with  many 
pleasant  associations  the  charming  scene 
presented,  as  one  passed  within  its  doors, 
especially  during  the  inclement  season. 
Unfortunately  the  building  with  its  con- 
tents was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire. 

In  entering  upon  any  description  of 
the  estates  and  gardens  which  have  occu- 
pied the  territory  of  several  miles  in 
121 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


almost  every  direction  about  Boston,  the 
wonderful  landscape  beauty  which  it  pre- 
sented and  still  presents,  should  be  taken 
into  consideration.  Few  districts  of 
equal  extent  in  any  portion  of  the  con- 
tinent offer  a  greater  diversity  of  surface, 
distributed  into  lofty  hills,  craggy  peaks, 
moderate  undulations,  valleys,  forests, 
streams,  lakes,  and  bordered  by  the 
ocean,  which  combines  with  its  grandeur 
the  beauty  of  the  islands,  bays,  promon- 
tories, and  the  variety  in  the  cliffs  and 
caverns  of  the  shore. 

Coming  to  this  domain,  our  forefathers, 
while  they  naturally  contrasted  the  grace- 
ful and  subdued  features  of  English  land- 
scape with  those  evinced  by  rugged  New 
England,  could  not  have  been  insen- 
sible to  the  attractions  she  spread  before 
them,  or  to  the  facilities  offered  for  the 
full  enjoyment  of  the  same.  It  was  in 
unison  with  this  landscape  beauty,  that 
the  district  occupied  gradually  became 
converted  into  a  cordon  of  suburban 
plantations,  large  and  small,  that  en- 
122 


fn  1Rew  BnglanD 


circled  the  infant  town  of  Boston  nestled 
among  its  hills. 

While  the  struggles  for  the  sustenance 
of  life  would  allow  the  early  settlers  lit- 
tle opportunity  for  attention  to  aesthetic 
principles,  yet  their  humble  homes,  with 
the  surrounding  orchards  and  gardens,  all 
so  well  chosen  as  to  position,  gave  evidence 
of  their  influence.  The  style  of  architec- 
ture, where  any  pretence  to  such  was 
adopted,  was  the  result  of  the  experience 
taught  by  the  severity  of  the  climate,  and 
it  will  be  readily  allowed  by  the  tasteful, 
that  the  plain  cottages  and  unadorned  old 
houses,  that  are  now  so  much  admired, 
where  allowed  to  exist,  were  more  in  keep- 
ing with  their  environment  and  with  the 
habits  of  the  people,  than  the  preten- 
tious buildings  which  have  usurped  their 
places. 

Only  a  comparatively  few  of  the  multi- 
plicity of  estates  which  have  been  held  in 
the  suburbs  of  Boston  can  here  receive 
even  brief  attention.  The  notices  and 
descriptions  of  Dorchester  and  Roxbury 
123 


^Evolution  of  Horticulture 


by  Johnson,  Wood,  and  Josselyn,  as  these 
plantations  presented  themselves  to  their 
inspection  between  1635  and  1663,  have 
been  given  in  our  previous  pages.  These 
two  localities  were  noticed  for  their  early 
attention  to  the  culture  of  fruit.  It  was 
not  until  the  colonial  times  that  there  is 
allusion  to  an  estate  which  possessed  a 
garden  of  special  note,  and  this  belonged 
to  Governor  Oliver,  and  was  laid  out  in 
the  style  which  was  still  common  in  Bug- 
land.  Amid  those  of  note  in  Dorchester, 
for  their  horticultural  tastes  and  for  their 
success  in  the  cultivation  of  fruit,  espe- 
cially of  the  pear,  may  be  mentioned  the 
Downers,  Voses,  Sumners,  Wilders,  and 
in  Roxbury,  prior  to  the  present  century, 
Judge  John  Lowell,  John  Prince,  Aaron 
Williams,  Rufus  Amory,  Samuel  Ward, 
and  Samuel  Walker.  The  gardens,  or- 
chards, farms,  and  nurseries  of  many  of 
these  were  long  noted  for  the  production 
of  new  varieties  of  fruit,  vegetables,  and 
flowers,  for  the  introduction  of  green- 
houses and  conservatories,  and  in  a  few 
124 


•ffn 


cases  for  fine  illustrations  of  landscape 
gardening. 

In  1662,  that  portion  of  Dorchester,  then 
called  Unguety  and  afterwards  Milton, 
became  the  locality  for  many  fine  estates 
which  have  been  well  known  for  their 
horticultural  products  and  for  their  pleas- 
ant rural  surroundings.  Here,  before  the 
Revolution,  was  the  summer  residence 
of  Governor  Thomas  Hutchinson,  cele- 
brated for  its  appointments.  Perhaps  no 
section  of  our  suburbs  of  equal  size  is 
better  cultivated,  and  nowhere  is  the 
union  of  wealth  with  country  felicity 
more  complete  than  is  now  seen  in  the 
possessions  of  the  Forbeses,  Kidders, 
Peabodys,  Cunninghams,  Russells,  and 
others. 

Muddy  River,  Brookline,  was  also  early 
and  widely  known  for  the  horticultural 
advantages  which  it  offered.  Wood,  in 
his  New  England  Prospect,  speaks  of 
this  place  with  the  other  hamlets  as  en- 
circling the  "  old  plain  neck"  of  Boston 
"  with  an  unfading  wreath  of  bloom  and 
125 


35\>olutfon  of  Horticulture 


verdure."  Grants  of  land  were  made  to 
prominent  individuals  in  all  these,  and 
sometimes,  especially  at  Muddy  River, 
"to  the  poorer  sort."  Here,  in  latter 
days,  among  the  patrons  of  horticultural 
improvements  may  be  numbered  the  As- 
pinwalls,  Amorys,  Sullivans,  Lees,  Per- 
kinses, Lymans,  Sargents. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  century  Colo- 
nel T.  H.  Perkins  and  his  brother  Samuel 
erected  large  greenhouses  and  glass  struc- 
tures for  the  cultivation  of  rare  fruits  and 
flowers,  and  laid  out  the  grounds  at  great 
expense  "until  it  was  considered  the 
most  advanced  in  horticultural  science 
of  any  in  New  England." 

The  estate  of  Thomas  Lee,  during  his 
life,  was  remarkable  for  its  diversity  of 
surface,  for  its  lawns  kept  in  the  most 
exquisite  condition,  and  for  its  collection 
of  rare  trees  and  shrubs.  The  owner  was 
widely  known  for  his  love  of  everything 
pertaining  to  natural  beauty.  After  his 
death  the  grounds  passed  into  the  posses- 
sion of  Ignatius  Sargent,  who  had  great 
126 


tfn  IRew  BnglanO 


success  in  grape  culture.  "  Under  the  su- 
pervision of  his  son,  Professor  Sargent, 
this  place,  with  its  magnificent  landscape, 
its  conservatories  of  plants,  and  its  ex- 
tensive collection  of  conifers,  rhododen- 
drons, and  azaleas,  is  thrown  open  to  the 
public  every  year.  With  its  extensive  and 
rare  collection  of  native  and  foreign  trees 
and  shrubs,  and  its  wide  and  grand  em- 
brace of  one  hundred  acres  in  extent, 
this  estate  is  one  of  great  interest  for  the 
study  of  landscape  and  ornamental  cul- 
ture." l 

Cambridge,  which  has  been  noted  from 
the  middle  of  the  last  century  for  its  gar- 
dens and  ornamental  grounds,  has  also 
given  great  attention  to  the  production 
of  fruits  and  to  the  establishment  of  ex- 
tensive experimental  grounds  and  nurse- 
ries. Conspicuous  among  these  last  were 
those  of  Hovey  &  Co.,  which  have  long 
given  to  them  a  wide  reputatien  both  at 

1  "  The  Horticulture  of  Boston  and  Vicinity," 
by  M.  P.  Wilder.-- Memorial  History  of  Boston^ 
vol.  iv. 

127 


^Evolution  of  Horticulture 


home  and  abroad.  Among  the  early  es- 
tates of  note  was  that  of  Thomas  Brattle, 
who  returned  after  the  Revolution  and 
took  possession  of  the  grounds  of  his 
father  who  had  laid  them  out  in  the  for- 
mal style  then  common  in  Europe.  These 
grounds  were  extensive,  stretching  from 
the  banks  of  the  Charles  to  the  estate  of 
the  Vassalls. 

The  Craigie  property,  the  mansion  of 
which  has  been  so  long  and  so  well  known 
for  its  spacious  and  graceful  proportions, 
and  also  for  its  many  honored  occupants, 
formerly  extended  back  and  included  the 
present  Observatory  Hill  which  bore  a 
summer-house.  The  space  immediately 
about  the  mansion  was  ornamented  with 
a  garden  during  the  latter  part  of  the  last 
century,  in  which  were  planted  numerous 
trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers,  some  of  which 
still  remain.  A  greenhouse  was  also 
erected  by  Mr.  Craigie,  which  was  proba- 
bly the  first  in  Cambridge. 

In  the  vicinity  there  were  numerous 
other  estates  in  the  possession  of  wealthy 
128 


1fn  IRew  BnglanD 


and  cultivated  families,  to  which  were 
attached  ample  orchards,  gardens,  and 
fields,  while  the  proximity  of  the  Charles, 
of  Fresh  Pond,  and  of  Mt.  Auburn, 
with  its  forests,  dells,  and  heights,  made 
up  a  country  of  singularly  picturesque 
beauty  which  contributed  greatly  to  the 
satisfaction  and  pleasure  of  the  owners 
and  of  their  many  friends. 

Newton,  with  its  numerous  villages, 
which  has  well  earned  the  name  of  the 
"Garden  City,*'  and  the  adjacent  Bright- 
on, have  both  become  well  known  at  the 
present  day,  for  the  advances  made  in 
the  science  and  practice  of  horticulture. 
Within  their  borders  the  first  nurseries  of 
any  special  note  in  New  England  were 
established,  one  by  John  Kenrick,  in 
Newton,  in  1791,  and  another  by  Jonathan 
Winship,  in  Brighton,  in  1816.  Both  of 
these  were  extensive,  and  were  the  means 
by  which  Boston  and  many  other  places 
were  supplied  with  ornamental  trees  and 
shrubs,  fruits  and  flowers.  In  the  first 
part  of  the  century,  James  Hyde  com- 
9  129 


Evolution  ot  Iborticulture 


inenced  a  nursery  of  fruit  trees  and  car- 
ried on  the  business  successfully  for 
many  years  in  Newton.  He  afterwards 
associated  with  him  his  son,  J.  F.  C.  Hyde, 
who  has  for  many  years  been  distin- 
guished for  his  great  love  for  rural  pur- 
suits, in  which  he  has  much  practical 
knowledge  and  skill.  Other  well-known 
admirers  of  horticultural  and  agricultural 
pursuits  have  made  Brighton  their  resi- 
dence, and  have  there  established  their 
prosperous  careers.  Among  these  should 
be  enumerated  the  Brecks  and  W.  C. 
Strong. 

Watertown  and  Waltham,  even  before 
the  present  century,  have  been  the  abode 
of  several  wealthy  men  whose  estates  were 
recognized  as  among  the  best  conducted 
in  New  England.  The  Gushing  place, 
with  its  spacious  gardens,  greenhouses, 
and  ornamental  grounds,  all  of  which 
were  liberally  thrown  open  to  the  public, 
is  still  pleasantly  remembered  by  many. 

"Waltham  House'*  estate  was  pur- 
chased in  1795  by  Theodore  I/yman,  who 
130 


tfn  IRew  36n0lanD 


erected  the  mansion,  and  arranged  the 
grounds  in  a  manner  to  rival  some  of  the 
princely  possessions  of  England.  Its 
noble  trees,  lake,  gardens,  terraces, 
lawns,  and  deer-park  have  continued  to 
exhibit  all  the  features  which  belong  to 
refinement  and  taste  in  connection  with 
rural  improvement.  There  is  no  better 
example  of  quiet,  unassuming,  beautiful 
landscape  gardening  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  metropolis. 

Other  estates  in  Waltham,  with  which 
historical  associations  are  connected, 
might  be  mentioned.  Among  these  was 
that  of  Governor  Christopher  Gore,  origi- 
nally comprising  several  hundred  acres, 
many  of  which  were  tastefully  embel- 
lished, and  with  a  fine  mansion,  made 
suitable  for  the  life  of  a  country  gentle- 
man. Since  his  death,  it  has  generally 
been  preserved  in  good  condition,  and 
has  lately  been  distinguished  for  the  glass 
structures  in  which  are  grown  large 
quantities  of  fruit,  flowers,  and  vege- 
tables. 


Evolution  of  Iborticuiture 


Charlestown  has  possessed  many  nota- 
ble gardens  during  the  present  century, 
and  among  these  "  Pleasant  Hill,"  be- 
longing to  Joseph  Barrell,  deserves  men- 
tion on  account  of  its  extent  and  its 
accessories,  constituting  what  was  then 
termed  a  "show-place." 

Medford  still  exhibits  within  its  limits 
the  Royal  house,  with  its  gardens,  orna- 
mented in  the  style  once  deemed  appro- 
priate to  its  stateliness.  Here  also  are 
the  large  estates  of  the  Brookses  and 
others  who  have  attractive  gardens  and 
conservatories. 

Arlington,  Lexington,  Concord,  Wo- 
burn,  and  other  towns  in  their  vicinity, 
have  been  prominent  in  horticultural 
pursuits,  especially  in  the  production  of 
fruit  and  vegetables,  thereby  supplying 
our  markets  in  a  manner  not  surpassed 
in  other  cities. 

Salem,  from  the  early  days  of  this  cen- 
tury, and  even  before  this  period,  has  had 
stately  residences  with  their  attendant 
orchards,  gardens,  and  ornamental 
132 


Un  Mew  BnglanD 


grounds.  It  was  in  this  town  that  the 
Derbys  had  their  residence,  with  every 
accompaniment  that  the  lovers  of 
horticulture  could  supply.  Here  was  the 
pomological  garden  of  Robert  Manning, 
established  for  the  purpose  of  collecting, 
testing,  and  identifying  the  varieties  of 
fruit  trees  that  would  bear  the  climate  of 
New  England.  This  work  was  continued 
•with  great  zeal  until  interrupted  by  his 
death,  which  occurred  after  nearly  twenty 
years  of  labor.  It  was  afterwards  as- 
sumed by  his  son,  the  present  competent 
and  faithful  Secretary  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Horticultural  Society,  who  thus 
speaks  of  his  father :  "To  him  more  than 
to  any  other  one  in  his  day — perhaps  it 
would  be  just  to  say  more  than  to  all 
others — were  the  public  indebted  for  the 
introduction  of  new  and  choice  fruits,  for 
the  identification  of  the  different  varie- 
ties, for  the  correction  of  their  nomen- 
clature, and  the  testing  of  their  qualities, 
and  he  was  acknowledged  to  be  the  high- 
est authority  in  regard  to  the  names  and 
133 


Evolution  of  Iborttculture 


synonymes  of  fruits."  It  was  to  the  in- 
habitants of  Salem  that  the  tomato  was 
first  introduced,  and  by  them  rejected. 

Directly  upon  the  North  Shore,  the  re- 
markable success  of  Frederick  Tudor  in 
contending  with  our  northern  climate 
deserves  a  brief  notice.  At  Nahant,  in  an 
open  field  where  there  was  neither  tree 
nor  shrub,  he  made  a  large  garden  which 
he  enclosed  with  a  high  double  palisade 
as  protection  from  the  winds.  Here  he 
raised  a  variety  of  large  and  delicious 
fruit. 

Dedham  has  had  many  horticulturists 
who  have  been  recognized  as  warm  pa- 
trons of  the  art.  In  former  years,  the 
residences  of  Edward  Dowse  and  Fisher 
Ames  were  well  known  far  and  near  for 
their  situation,  orchards,  gardens,  and 
plantations.  Later,  those  of  Wight, 
Richards,  and  the  Rands  have  been 
familiar  to  the  public  for  the  cultivation 
of  fruit,  and  for  the  superior  collections 
of  greenhouse  and  orchid  plants. 

On  the  South  Shore  at  Braintree,  now 
134 


Un  IRew  Bncjlanfc 


Quincy,  the  Quincy  estate,  as  it  passed 
from  generation  to  generation,  should  be 
cited  as  one  where  horticultural  and  agri- 
cultural pursuits  received  every  attention. 
The  property  originally  consisted  of  sev- 
eral hundred  acres,  and  upon  a  portion 
which  bordered  upon  the  sea  a  stately 
mansion  was  erected  by  the  third  pro- 
prietor, Josiah  Quincy,  in  1770,  and 
orchards  with  gardens  planted.  In  1784 
the  estate  was  bequeathed  to  President 
Quincy,  who,  being  a  great  lover  of  na- 
ture, laid  out  the  grounds  with  much 
taste. 

"Obstructions  to  the  views  were  re- 
moved, walls  and  fences  levelled,  lawns, 
with  trees  and  shrubs  judiciously  dis- 
posed, replaced  the  court-yard  and  gar- 
dens, and  the  approach  to  the  house  was 
turned  through  an  avenue  of  elms,  a 
third  of  a  mile  in  length,  planted  by  Mr. 
Quincy  in  1790."  1  New  orchards,  espe- 
cially of  pears,  and  vegetable  gardens, 

1  Memoir  of  the  Life  of  Susan  E.  M.  Quincy, 

1861. 

135 


Bvolution  of  Iborticulture 


were  planted,  while  every  improvement 
in  agriculture  was  sought  and  obtained. 
Broad  fertile  fields,  dotted  with  noble 
aged  oaks  and  pines,  stretched  away  be- 
yond the  farm  buildings,  while  the  views 
from  the  mansion,  combining  on  the  one 
side  Massachusetts  Bay,  the  islands,  and 
distant  Boston,  and  on  the  other,  the 
forest-clad  Blue  Hills,  and  the  inter- 
vening country  :  both  combined  to  endear 
the  homestead  to  its  owners  and  to  gratify 
its  numerous  guests. 

Wellesley  contains  the  property  of  H. 
H.  Hunnewell,  which  is  too  well-known 
at  the  present  day  to  warrant  any  long 
description.  The  wonderful  changes 
which  have  been  wrought  through  his 
instrumentality  upon  this  region,  form 
one  of  the  best  examples  of  the  evolution 
of  horticulture  that  could  be  brought 
forward.  The  ornamental  portion  of  the 
estate,  consisting  of  about  forty  acres, 
was  at  the  time  of  purchase  a  plain  with 
sandy  soil,  covered  by  worthless  trees  and 
shrubs.  These  were  entirely  eradicated, 
136 


tfn  Iftew  Bnglanfc 


the  land  deeply  ploughed  and  enriched, 
and  converted  into  a  velvety  lawn  of 
several  acres  which  spread  in  front  of  the 
mansion.  Thoroughly  constructed  roads 
and  paths,  planted  on  either  side  with  the 
best  hardy  trees  and  shrubs,  were  so  ar- 
ranged about  the  premises  as  to  command 
the  most  charming  vistas.  Groups  of 
conifers  and  evergreens  with  the  choicest 
rhododendrons  and  azaleas  filled  the 
grounds.  Fruit  and  vegetable  gardens, 
surrounded  with  ornamental  hedges, 
plant-houses,  fruit-houses,  conservatories, 
and  other  buildings  devoted  to  horticul- 
tural purposes,  occupied  a  large  space. 
The  beautifully  expanded  lake  with  the 
Italian  garden  upon  its  borders,  consid- 
ered as  choice  landscape  features,  add 
greatly  to  this  noted  estate. 

Such  a  generous  patron  of  the  horticul- 
tural art  as  Mr.  Hunnewell  has  always 
proved,  deserves  and  receives  the  admira- 
tion of  the  public. 

An  attempt  to  give  a  more  extended 
account  of  the  estates  and  gardens  in  and 
137 


Bvolutfon  of  Iborttculture 


about  Boston,  or  even  to  enumerate  those 
which  have  long  graced  the  principal  cities 
and  towns  of  New  Kngland  (and  of  these 
there  are  many  that  well  deserve  notice), 
would  far  exceed  reasonable  limits.  It 
can  therefore  only  be  here  stated  that  in 
whatever  direction  the  attention  should 
be  turned,  there  would  be  found  ample 
evidence  of  the  wonderful  advance  of 
horticulture,  in  other  words,  of  its  evolu- 
tion, during  the  present  century,  as  seen 
in  the  better  cultivation  of  orchards  and 
gardens,  the  larger  and  better  supply  of 
fruit,  vegetables,  and  flowers,  as  also  in 
the  ornamentation  of  estates,  large  and 
small,  and,  in  fine,  in  every  possible  im- 
provement which  can  be  directly  or  in- 
directly applied  to  this  noble  art. 

It  remains  to  consider  the  principal 
factors  which  have  conduced  to  these 
beneficial  results.  First  and  foremost 
among  these  may  be  placed  the 
establishment  of  horticultural  socie- 
ties. It  was  not  until  the  close  of  the 
Revolution  that  horticulture  or  agricul- 
138 


1Tn  1Rew  BnglanD 


ture  revived  from  the  depression  which 
they  had  undergone  during  that  tedious 
war,  although  both  were  at  a  low  ebb  be- 
fore that  period.  The  earliest  societies 
for  the  advancement  of  agriculture  were 
formed  in  Philadelphia  and  in  South 
Carolina,  which  were  soon  after  followed 
by  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  Promot- 
ing Agriculture.  In  this  last  society, 
there  were  contributors  to  the  Massachu- 
setts Agricultural  Repository \  the  earliest 
publication  in  the  country  of  this  charac- 
ter ;  these  also  published  articles  on  hor- 
ticulture. No  decided  interest  in  this  art 
took  place,  however,  until,  in  1801,  a 
movement  was  made  towards  the  estab- 
lishment and  endowment  of  a  Botanic 
Garden  at  Cambridge,  which  was  effected 
through  generous  subscriptions  and  con- 
tributions by  the  Massachusetts  Society 
for  Promoting  Agriculture,  and  by  pri- 
vate individuals.  The  garden  of  several 
acres  was  laid  out,  and  a  Professor  of 
Botany  appointed,  in  connection  with 
Harvard  College.  Much  influence  was 
139 


j£x?olution  of  Iborticulture 


doubtless  thus  exerted  in  the  formation 
of  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  So- 
ciety in  1829.  This  society  was  preceded 
by  the  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  So- 
cieties, and  also  by  two  similar  ones  in 
Western  New  York.  The  early  success 
of  these  societies  was  greatly  due  to  the 
efficiency  of  the  London  Horticultural 
Society,  of  which  some  of  our  distin- 
guished men  were  chosen  members. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enter  into  the  de- 
tails of  the  history  of  the  origin  of  the 
Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society,  but 
it  should  be  recognized  that,  once  estab- 
lished upon  a  firm  basis,  its  influence 
had  the  effect  to  create  other  societies  of 
a  similar  character,  especially  in  the 
Eastern  States.  The  horticultural  spirit 
thus  awakened  by  these  means  had  the 
effect  to  bring  together  those  who  were 
especially  interested  in  matters  pertaining 
to  the  art,  and  thereby  to  promote  that 
interchange  of  sentiment  and  diffusion  of 
knowledge  which  are  so  essential  in  all 
arts  and  sciences.  Previous  to  these  con- 
140 


1Fn  IKlew  BnglanD 


ditions,  thus  so  happily  introduced,  hor- 
ticulture was  pursued  by  its  votaries  as 
they  pleased.  "Every  one  pursued  his 
own  course,  neither  acquainted  to  any 
great  degree  with  the  improvements  of 
his  neighbour,  nor  assisted  by  his  advice, 
nor  excited  by  his  success.  Horticulture 
had  its  own  charms  to  recommend  it,  and 
these  were  many  and  various ;  but  its 
cause  wanted  all  that  aid  which  is  de- 
rived from  the  union  of  numbers  deeply 
interested  in  the  pursuit  of  a  common  and 
favourite  object.  Our  Society  was  estab- 
lished to  remedy  this  important  disad- 
vantage, to  bring  the  friends  of  horticul- 
ture into  close  contact." 

Among  the  direct  and  beneficial  effects 
attained  by  the  Massachusetts  Horticul- 
tural Society  have  been  the  vast  im- 
provement in  gardens  and  farms,  and 
consequently  in  their  productions.  While 
other  similar  associations  in  New  Bng- 
gland  may  be  rightfully  included  as 
instrumental  in  this  excellent  work,  we 
may  certainly  claim  a  priority  and  special 
141 


Evolution  of  Dorticuiture 


object  for  the  above  society.  In  the 
early  part  of  this  century,  there  was 
scarcely  a  garden  that  was  managed  with 
horticultural  skill,  and  much  less  were 
there  any  farms  which  were  conducted 
on  scientific  principles,  although  efforts 
in  this  direction  were  induced  by  the 
formation  of  the  Massachusetts  Society 
for  Promoting  Agriculture  in  1792.  More- 
over, previous  to  this  time,  neither  in 
Great  Britain  nor  in  this  country,  had 
any  newspaper  or  magazine  devoted  to 
agriculture  been  issued. 

By  opening  a  correspondence  with  the 
British  and  Continental  societies,  not 
only  many  new  ideas  were  received  by 
the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society 
in  the  cultivation  of  the  garden,  but  also 
fruits,  seeds,  plants,  and  everything  per- 
taining thereto.  By  the  establishment 
of  frequent  horticultural  exhibitions,  at 
which  suitable  premiums  were  offered  for 
the  best  productions  of  the  garden,  a 
powerful  stimulus  in  the  diffusion  of 
knowledge  in  this  direction  was  brought 
142 


flit  Iftew 


into  action.  A  great  increase  in  the 
number  of  gardens  and  nurseries  also 
soon  became  manifest  through  the  influ- 
ence indirectly  put  forth  by  the  society, 
upon  city  merchants  and  others  of  wealth, 
to  dwell  in  the  suburbs  or  in  the  country, 
and  to  participate  in  the  simple  pleasures 
offered  by  a  rural  life  not  only  to  them- 
selves but  to  their  families. 

The  spread  of  information  in  every  sub- 
ject relating  to  horticulture  by  means  of 
its  publications  and  by  its  library,  proved 
a  beneficial  medium  of  the  society,  not 
only  throughout  New  England,  but 
through  the  country  generally.  Before 
the  society  was  commenced,  there  was 
not  a  journal  or  periodical  devoted  to  the 
sole  subject  of  horticulture,  but  soon  after, 
in  addition  to  its  own  publications,  there 
were  several  which  contained  the  experi- 
ence and  practices  of  those  most  capable 
in  the  art. 

One  of  the  most  useful  and  commend- 
able acts  of  the  society  was  the  founding 
of  the  Mount  Auburn  Cemetery  and 
143 


Evolution  of  Dorttculture 


Experimental  Garden.  This  project  of 
rural  burial  originated  with  a  few  of  the 
distinguished  men  of  Boston,  some  of 
whom  had  connected  themselves  with 
the  society.  In  addition  to  the  principal 
design  in  view  of  rendering  this  beautiful 
locality  an  appropriate  place  for  inter- 
ment, it  was  thought  that  the  laying  out 
of  the  grounds  should  offer  a  pleasing 
and  instructive  example  of  landscape 
gardening.  This  last  proposition  was 
fittingly  made  at  the  close  of  an  address 
delivered  before  the  society.  "I  would 
render  such  scenes  more  alluring,  more 
familiar,  and  imposing,  by  the  aid  of 
rural  embellishments.  The  skill  and 
taste  of  the  architect  should  be  exerted 
in  the  construction  of  the  requisite  de- 
partments and  avenues ;  and  appropriate 
trees  and  plants  should  decorate  its 
borders  ;  the  weeping-willow,  waving  its 
graceful  drapery  over  the  monumental 
marble,  and  the  sombre  foliage  of  the 
cypress  should  shade  it ;  and  the  undying 
daisy  should  mingle  its  bright  and  glow- 
144 


1Fn  Iftew 


ing  tints  with  the  native  laurel  of  our 
forests."  Although  the  original  intention 
of  the  society  was  not  fully  carried  out, 
owing  to  its  severance  from  the  Proprie- 
tors of  the  Cemetery  of  Mount  Auburn, 
yet  the  work  it  had  accomplished  led  to 
the  dissemination  of  refined  taste  for 
rural  improvement,  and  to  the  establish- 
ment of  other  beautiful  cemeteries,  not 
only  about  Boston,  but  in  various  parts 
of  New  England.  Moreover,  through  the 
same  influence,  cities,  towns,  and  vil- 
lages have  been  induced  to  pay  greater 
attention  to  their  burial  places  and  to 
the  sepulture  of  the  dead. 

It  is  in  landscape  gardening  that  horti- 
culture rises  to  the  dignity  of  an  art,  and 
the  influence  created  in  this  direction 
through  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural 
Society  has  indeed  been  wonderful.  This 
result  has  in  great  measure  been  brought 
about  by  the  offer  of  prizes  for  the  best 
laid  out  grounds,  and  for  essays  on  the 
principles  that  should  govern  the  art, 
which  essays,  having  been  read  by  the 

10  145 


Bvolution  of  Iborticulture 


authors  and  fully  discussed  at  the  meet- 
ings of  the  society,  were  afterwards 
published  in  its  Transactions.  By  these 
means  certain  axioms  were  established, 
and  have  to  a  great  extent  been  prac- 
tised. 

First,  although  owing  to  circumstances 
which  must  govern  the  arrangement  of 
an  estate,  be  it  large  or  small,  and  which 
depend  upon  its  situation  and  surround- 
ings, as  well  as  upon  the  habits,  associa- 
tions, and  tastes  of  the  owner,  no  fixed 
laws  can  be  laid  down  which  are  appli- 
cable in  all  cases,  yet  there  are  certain 
general  principles  to  be  recognized,  if 
success  is  to  be  attained.  Among  these 
should  be  included  congruity  or  fitness. 
This  should  always  be  kept  in  view  in  the 
garden  art,  and  yet  it  is  a  principle  that 
is  perhaps  most  frequently  violated,  a 
violation  more  striking  and  more  quickly 
detected  in  small  estates  than  in  large. 
There  should  be  unity,  one  expression  or 
leading  feature  in  harmony  with  the 
characteristics  which  individually  distin- 
146 


Ifn  Iftew  BnglanD 


guish  the  three  forms  of  modern  landscape 
gardening,  and  to  whichever  one  is  appro- 
priate, the  others  should  be  subordinate. 

These  three  forms  are  known  as  the 
Gardenesque,  the  Picturesque,  and  the 
Formal  or  Geometrical.  As  presented  in 
natural  scenery,  the  Gardenesque  or 
Beautiful,  as  it  is  often  termed,  is  charac- 
terized by  easy-flowing  lines,  by  the  ab- 
sence of  abruptness,  by  .moderate  undu- 
lations of  the  surface,  and  in  trees  by 
roundness,  fulness,  and  luxuriance  of 
growth.  In  water,  by  the  tranquil  lake, 
spread  out  between  sloping  banks,  or  by 
the  gently  flowing  stream. 

In  the  Picturesque,  on  the  contrary,  the 
land  surface  is  marked  by  abruptness  and 
irregular  outlines.  The  trees  by  rugged- 
ness,  as.  in  the  oak,  and  by  rigidity  and 
wildness,  as  shown  by  the  pitch  pine  when 
it  approaches  maturity.  The  lake  has 
steep  and  rocky  shores,  while  the  streams, 
shut  in  between  precipitous  banks,  are 
hurled  along  in  a  tumultuous,  uncon- 
trollable course. 

147 


Evolution  of  horticulture 


The  Formal,  Geometrical,  or  Ancient 
style  of  landscape  gardening  does  not 
present  variations  which  strongly  mark 
the  other  two  forms,  both  of  which  are 
founded  on  intrinsic  qualities  that  are  ex- 
hibited in  natural  scenery  :  "  the  one  on 
smoothness,  the  other  on  roughness — the 
one  on  gradual,  the  other  on  sudden 
variation — the  one  on  ideas  of  youth  and 
freshness,  the  other  on  that  of  age  and 
even  of  decay."  l  The  Formal  consists  of 
regularity,  uniformity,  rigidity,  and  math- 
ematical precision,  developing  only  those 
primitive  ideas  of  beauty  which  are  found 
in  regular  methods  and  straight  lines. 

How  far  these  various  expressions  of 
natural  scenery  can  be  introduced  into 
landscape  gardening  without  undue  en- 
croachment upon  or  violation  of  them,  is 
an  important  consideration  which  should 
never  be  neglected.  "It  may  be  worth 
while  then  to  specifically  inquire  how  far 
the  imitation  of  nature  is  possible  and 
right.  They  who  would  imitate  nature 
1  On  the  Picturesque,  by  Avedale  Price. 
148 


1Tn  Iftew 


must  do  so  in  another  way  than  by  copy- 
ing her  piecemeal.  They  ought  indeed 
to  be  imitators  but  not  copyists,  transcrib- 
ing her  spirit,  and  not  her  individual 
expressions ;  her  general  countenance 
and  aspect,  and  not  her  particular  feat- 
ures. "  l 

The  Beautiful  or  Gardenesque  form  of 
landscape  gardening  is  characterized  by 
the  freedom  of  nature.  The  grace,  beau- 
ty, and  harmony  which  belong  to  it  may 
exist  alone,  or  it  may  be  blended  to  a 
certain  degree  with  the  Picturesque.  At- 
tempts at  the  artificial  production  of  un- 
dulations of  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
except  to  the  most  limited  extent,  is  a 
foolish  expenditure  of  time  and  money 
for  private  individuals  to  undertake.  The 
plantations,  composed  of  trees  and  shrubs 
selected  for  their  luxuriance  and  sym- 
metry, should  be  so  grouped  as  to  afford 
them  full  development,  and  in  thinning 
out  those  of  native  growth,  the  same  laws 
must  be  followed  as  occasion  may  demand. 
1  How  to  Lay  Out  a  Garden,  by  Edward  Kemp. 
149 


Evolution  of  f>orttculture 


The  walks  and  avenues,  as  a  general  rule, 
should  follow  the  natural  shape  of  the 
surface,  and  avoid  all  abrupt  angles. 

In  the  Picturesque  form,  art  should  be 
chiefly  confined  to  those  portions  of  the 
estate  which  are  immediately  adjacent  to 
the  buildings.  Elsewhere  the  surface  of 
the  ground  is  still  to  be  marked  by  ex- 
treme naturalness.  In  the  formation  of 
plantations,  uniformity  is  to  be  avoided, 
but  a  predominance  should  be  given  to 
those  trees  that  possess  boldness  and 
irregularity  of  outline.  The  groups  thus 
formed  should  be  allowed  to  mingle  with 
each  other,  and  to  grow  without  special 
restraint.  Copses  of  woods  of  native 
growth  must  be  left  untouched.  Walks 
and  roads,  although  more  or  less  angular, 
should  be  without  formality,  and  carried 
over  streams  by  means  of  arched  stone 
bridges,  constructed  free  from  ostenta- 
tion. 

As  the  Geometrical  style,  by  reason  of 
its  adjuncts,  as  terraces,  balustraded 
walls,  flights  of  steps,  and  other  orna- 
150 


1Tn  IRew 


mental  objects,  which  carry  the  form  and 
outlines  of  the  buildings  into  the  garden 
and  adjacent  grounds,  is  more  closely 
allied  to  Architecture  than  the  others,  the 
subject  necessarily  requires  here  brief 
consideration. 

There  are  certain  general  principles  in 
Architecture  that  must  be  recognized  by 
those  who  would  succeed  in  Garden  Art. 
Of  these  may  be  mentioned  Fitness,  Pur- 
pose, and  Style.  Fitness  is  seen  not  only 
in  the  proper  arrangement  of  the  dwell- 
ing, but  in  its  situation  as  regards  salu- 
brity and  comfort,  and  in  the  material 
of  which  it  is  constructed.  The  principal 
objection  to  wood,  which  is  so  universally 
used  even  in  the  suburban  districts  of 
New  England,  lies  in  its  lack  of  solidity 
and  durability,  qualities  which  are  essen- 
tial in  building  material.  On  this  point 
Downing1  very  truly  says  :  "In  point  of 
taste,  a  house  built  of  wood  strikes  us  the 
least  agreeably,  as  our  pleasure  in  behold- 
ing a  beautiful  form  is  marred  by  the  idea 
1  Landscape  Gardening. 


Bvolution  of  Iborticulturc 


of  the  frailness  of  the  material  composing 
that  form.  The  force  with  which  it  strikes 
a  European  accustomed  to  solidity  and 
permanence  in  a  dwelling,  is  the  best 
proof  of  the  truth  of  our  remark."  The 
same  criticism  applies  to  all  the  appur- 
tenances of  the  garden  and  adjoining 
grounds,  as  balustrades,  steps,  pedestals, 
obelisks,  etc.,  when  made  of  wood. 

Brick  or  stone  forms  the  most  suitable 
material  for  most  purposes  allied  to  Archi- 
tecture. In  rural  districts  objections  are 
often  made  to  the  first  of  these,  owing  to 
the  ugly  combinations  not  unfrequently 
seen,  and  to  the  unharmonious  color 
which  they  present.  Brick,  however,  is 
susceptible  of  very  pleasing  effects  if  ar- 
tistically managed ;  and,  as  to  color,  when 
enshrouded  in  a  drapery  of  any  of  the 
beautiful  vines  now  in  such  common  use, 
nothing  could  be  more  satisfactory  to  the 
refined  taste. 

In  Architecture,  Purpose  is  suggested 
by  certain  features  of  a  building,  such  as 
the  windows,  chimneys,  porches,  etc.,  of 
152 


1Tn  U*ew 


the  dwelling-house.  If  then  these  are 
essential  to  the  expression  of  this  prin- 
ciple, they  should  be  made  prominent,  or 
at  least  not  concealed.  In  this  connec- 
tion the  selection  of  colors  to  be  given  to 
buildings,  wherever  deemed  necessary, 
may  be  properly  considered.  Those 
should  be  chosen  which  harmonize  with 
the  natural  objects  about  them.  For 
country  residences,  neutral  tints  are  al- 
ways to  be  preferred  to  the  positive  colors. 
The  weather-stained  tint  of  the  old  New 
England  homestead  offers  the  most  useful 
lesson  possible  in  the  way  of  harmonious 
coloring. 

The  principle  of  Style  is  also  of  great 
importance.  Here  there  are  certain  rules 
to  be  observed,  whatever  may  be  the  style 
adopted.  Unity  is  essential — an  adher- 
ence to  the  particular  one  chosen,  without 
admixture  with  another.  There  should 
also  be  uniformity  and  symmetry  as  well 
as  adaptation  to  the  uses  intended.  The 
style  of  the  cottage  must  be  simple  and 
unobtrusive,  while  that  of  the  villa  or 
153 


3Bx>oiutfon  of  Iborticulture 


mansion  may  be  more  elaborate  and 
stately.  All  houses  should  be  in  unison 
with  the  surroundings.  If  these  are  quiet 
and  beautiful,  partaking  of  the  Garden- 
esque  form,  then  the  dwelling  should 
correspond  by  simplicity  of  outline  and 
by  a  certain  refinement,  as  shown  in  the 
Italian  and  in  other  classical  modes  of 
architecture.  If  the  adjacent  grounds  are 
wild  and  picturesque,  the  architectural 
style  will  admit  of  more  irregularity,  and 
of  a  ruder  kind  of  ornamentation. 

With  the  Geometrical  form  of  the  gar- 
dening art  is  closely  associated  the  style 
of  architecture  of  the  days  of  Henry  and 
Elizabeth.  * c  Gardening  and  Architecture, 
like  all  the  fine  arts,  have  much  in  com- 
mon. And  that  department  of  architec- 
ture which  belongs  to  the  garden  more 
exclusively,  has  especially  a  great  affinity 
with  gardening  in  its  broader  principles. 
In  fact,  there  is  much  more  relation  be- 
tween the  two  than  is  usually  admitted. 
Modern  tendencies  in  gardening  have 
been  too  much  away  from  its  character  as 
154 


1Fn  H*ew  BnglanD 


an  art,  and  the  more  it  is  restored  to  its 
legitimate  position,  the  more  nearly  will 
it  be  brought  into  kindred  with  architec- 
ture. "  It  is  thus  Kemp  fitly  writes. 

For  suburban  places  and  small  country 
estates,  where  there  is  little  opportunity 
for  variety  and  irregularity,  the  formal 
garden,  with  its  symmetrical  uniformity, 
its  walks  bordered  with  box  or  holly,  its 
green  alleys  and  bowers  of  topiary  work, 
its  parterres,  vases,  statues,  fountains,  and 
sun-dials,  is  well  suited.  So  also  in  the 
squares  and  small  parks  of  cities  this  form 
of  garden  art  might  be  introduced  with 
excellent  effect,  while  at  the  same  time 
it  would  serve  an  admirable  means  of 
instructing  the  people  in  the  evolution 
of  horticulture.  In  a  modified  way,  these 
gardens  were  more  or  less  adopted  by  our 
forefathers  in  New  Bngland  as  pleasant 
reminders  of  other  homes  across  the 
sea. 

"It  appears  to  me  that  it  is  an  inesti- 
mable advantage  as  it  regards  our  gardens, 
that  the  former  taste  of  the  nation  has 
155 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


differed  so  much  from  its  present  one. 
Without  this,  what  a  loss  of  variety  we 
should  have  suffered !  If  the  taste  of  the 
present  generation  had  been  that  of  all 
past  ages,  what  could  there  have  been  in 
the  gardens  of  our  past  kings,  nobles,  and 
historical  characters  to  mark  them  as 
strongly  and  emphatically  as  they  are 
now  marked?  They  now,  indeed,  seem 
to  belong  to  men  and  things  gone  by. 
There  is  something  in  them  of  a  sombre 
and  becoming  melancholy.  They  are  in 
keeping  with  the  houses  they  surround, 
and  the  portraits  in  the  galleries  of  those 
houses.  Our  historic  memories  are  inti- 
mately connected  with  such  places.  Our 
Howards,  Essexes,  Surreys,  and  Wolseys, 
were  the  magnificent  founders  and  crea- 
tors of  such  places  :  and  in  such,  Shake- 
speare and  Spenser,  Milton  and  Bacon 
and  Sidney  mused."  ! 

In  the  consideration  of  the  gardening 
art,  wherever  it  is  to  be  employed,  it 
must  be  determined  how  closely  nature 

1  Hewitt's  Rural  England. 

156 


fin  U*ew  England 


and  art  can  be  related  to  each  other. 
Although  unity  is  an  essential  principle, 
and  one  which  must  be  kept  in  harmony 
with  the  characteristics  of  the  form  of 
garden  art  that  is  selected,  yet  rigid  ad- 
herence to  such  need  not  interfere  with 
the  proper  introduction  of  variety.  The 
individual  who  truly  loves  nature,  will  be 
guided  by  following  out  her  schemes, 
which  vary  indefinitely,  and  he  will  thus 
be  led  to  the  exercise  of  original  thought. 
When  it  has  once  been  irrevocably 
decided  that  the  highest  art  is  found 
in  following  the  suggestions  of  nature, 
then  the  conventionality  so  frequently 
practised  and  the  consequent  monotony 
so  ofter  seen,  may  be  avoided.  There  is 
something  better  to  be  acquired  than  a 
mere  imitation  of  our  neighbors.  Be- 
tween the  lawns,  walks,  and  shrubbery 
of  the  Gardenesque,  so  often  deemed 
"artistic,"  and  the  only  possibility  for 
beautiful  grounds — the  wildness  of  the 
Picturesque,  requiring  little  or  no  inter- 
ference with  nature, — the  Geometrical 
157 


Evolution  of  Horticulture 


style,  so  intimately  connected  with. 
Architecture,— between  these  types,  there 
are  numerous  modifications  that  are 
appropriate  and  will  be  adopted  by  those 
of  refined  taste. 

Simplicity,  convenience,  and  seclusion 
are  essential  elements  to  be  recognized  in 
the  laying  out  of  grounds,  and  neither  of 
these  should  be  sacrificed  to  ostentation 
or  extravagance.  Especially  is  the  latter, 
with  its  attendant  repose,  indispensable 
for  the  comfort  and  enjoyment  of  the 
home.  This  may  be  obtained  by  a  judi- 
cious arrangement  of  trees  and  shrubbery, 
which  would  afford  protection  without 
the  exclusion  which  is  suggested  by  high 
walls,  fences,  and  close  hedges. 

Another  of  the  most  useful  means  of 
spreading  a  knowledge  of  the  gardening 
art,  and  of  disseminating  a  more  refined 
taste  for  rural  improvement  among  the 
people,  was  the  offer  of  prizes  by  the 
Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society  for 
the  best  laid  out  grounds,  which  offer 
originated  in  the  following  recommenda- 
158 


•ffn  Iftew  Bnglanfc 


tion  made  in  1850  by  the  president  in  his 
customary  address. 

"Premiums  should  be  offered,  and 
gratuities  be  given,  by  the  society,  under 
the  direction  of  a  committee  appointed 
for  that  purpose,  whose  duty  it  should  be 
to  visit  and  examine  such  places  as  the 
proprietors  should  invite  them  so  to  do, 
at  such  times  and  as  often  as  they  might 
deem  proper,  without  any  previous  notice 
having  been  given  to  the  gardener,  super- 
intendent, or  other  person  having  charge 
of  the  same,  that  the  committee  might  be 
able  to  form  a  correct  judgment  as  to  the 
general  management  and  state  of  cultiva- 
tion on  the  premises,  and  to  report  to  the 
society  the  most  successful  cultivators  at 
home,  as  the  other  committees  report  the 
finest  products  exhibited  in  the  hall  of 
the  society. " 

The  excellent  advice  given  by  Down- 
ing many  years  ago  in  one  of  his  Essays 
is  here  worthy  of  mention  :  "  We  think 
there  can  scarcely  be  a  question  that  an 
examination  of  the  best  examples  of  taste 
159 


Evolution  of  t>ortfcultute 


in  rural  improvement  at  home,  is  far  more 
instructive  to  an  American,  than  an  in- 
spection of  the  finest  country  places  in 
Europe  :  and  this  chiefly,  because  a  really 
successful  example  at  home  is  based  upon 
republican  modes  of  life,  enjoyment,  and 
expenditure.  For  the  same  reason  we 
think  those  places  most  instructive  and 
best  worthy  general  study  in  this  country, 
which  realize  most  completely  our  ideal 
of  refined  country  life  in  America.  To 
do  this,  it  is  by  no  means  necessary  to 
have  baronial  possessions,  or  a  mansion 
of  vast  extent.  No  more  should  be 
attempted  than  can  be  done  well,  and  in 
perfect  harmony  with  our  habits,  mode 
of  life,  and  domestic  institutions.  Hence, 
small  suburban  residences,  like  those  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Boston,  are  perhaps 
better  models  or  studies  for  the  public 
generally,  than  our  grander  and  more  ex- 
tensive seats.  It  is  better  to  attempt  a 
small  place,  and  attain  perfect  success, 
than  to  fail  in  one  of  greater  extent. "  1 
1  Rural  Essays^  by  A.  J.  Downing. 
160 


1Fn 


The  Bussey  Institution  and  Arnold 
Arboretum,  the  Boston  Metropolitan 
System  of  Parks  in  New  England,  as  also 
the  Central  Park  of  New  York  and  the 
Chicago  Exhibition  have  proved  great 
object  lessons,  and  have  thus  appealed 
to  the  nobler  faculties  of  the  public 
generally.  At  the  same  time,  these 
happy  effects  have  more  or  less  direct 
connection  with  the  influences  diffused 
by  horticultural  societies,  especially  by 
the  Massachusetts  Society. 

Window  Gardening,  an  art  of  great 
antiquity,  may  here  be  appropriately 
mentioned  as  one  of  the  advantages 
derived  from  the  Massachusetts  Society. 
By  teaching  children  and  even  adults 
the  proper  mode  of  raising  flowering  and 
other  plants  in  pots,  by  encouraging  the 
gathering  of  wild  flowers  preceded  by 
instruction  as  to  the  seasons  and  locali- 
ties when  and  where  they  were  to  be 
found,  the  observing  faculties  have  been 
educated  and  refining  tastes  have  been 
diffused.  The  love  for  natural  beauty 
«  161 


^Evolution  of  Dorticulturc 


thus  awakened,  is  not  confined  to  the 
window  gardens  of  the  narrow  lanes 
and  streets  of  the  city,  but  finds  its  way 
to  the  yards  and  small  garden  plots  of  the 
suburbs,  and  even  to  the  country  villages, 
thereby  contributing  to  their  improve- 
ment, and  rendering  the  homes  of  the 
humble  more  attractive.  Through  the 
same  medium,  the  establishment  of 
public-school  gardens  has  led  to  the  study 
by  the  pupils  of  the  growing  plants,  from 
the  earliest  period  of  germination  to  the 
full  maturity. 

In  an  admirable  paper,  entitled  Histori- 
cal Sketch  of  English  Horticulture,  read 
before  the  Massachusetts  Society  recent- 
ly, the  author  says  :  "The  common  peo- 
ple of  Britain,  from  time  immemorial, 
have  taken  great  interest  in  every  thing 
that  added  to  the  beauty  and  comfort  of 
their  homes.  The  fondness  of  the  peo- 
ple for  detached  homes,  surrounded  or 
approached  by  a  garden,  seems  inborn  ; 
for  when  compelled  to  live  in  towns 
where  a  garden  is  impossible,  tracts  of 
162 


1fn  mew  England 


land  in  the  immediate  suburbs  are  rented 
and  divided  up  into  separate  gardens.  A 
spirit  of  rivalry  exists  among  them  as  to 
who  can  raise  the  best  crops,  and  when  a 
cottager  takes  any  particular  fruit,  flower, 
or  vegetable  in  hand  as  a  hobby,  he  is 
bound  to  show  something  creditable, 
even  when  cultivating  it  under  the  most 
adverse  circumstances.  This  spirit  of 
emulation  is  kept  up,  in  a  great  measure, 
by  the  almost  universal  practice  of  hold- 
ing periodical  shows  in  all  parts  of  the 
country.  Some  of  the  more  enthusiastic 
growers  will  travel  many  miles  previous 
to  the  time  of  holding  their  own  show, 
just  to  keep  posted  on  what  their  rivals 
are  doing,  and  to  learn  how  the  pet  speci- 
mens of  others  compare  with  their  own 
products.  It  was  remarkable  that  some 
of  the  most  successful  growers  were  those 
who  followed  an  entirely  different  calling 
for  their  daily  bread."  l 

The  hints  thus  given  might  well  be 
introduced  into  our  own  country. 

1  Samuel  Henshaw,  Staten  Island,  N.  Y. 
163 


Evolution  of  Iborticultute 


As  the  homes  of  the  people,  not  only 
in  the  Old  but  in  the  New  World,  openly 
reveal  their  civilized  or  their  barbarous 
condition — their  thrift  and  advancement, 
or  their  sloth  and  consequent  degrada- 
tion, Village  Improvement  is  a  subject  of 
vast  importance.  It  is  a  mighty  factor  in 
the  hands  of  the  horticultural  societies, 
and  should  be  greatly  encouraged  as 
the  happy  medium  for  the  promotion 
of  aesthetic,  hygienic,  instructive,  and 
ennobling  principles. 

A  comparison  of  the  first  exhibitions 
of  the  Massachusetts  as  also  of  other 
Bastern  Horticultural  Societies,  gives  evi- 
dence of  the  astonishing  advances  that 
have  been  made  in  the  variety  and  im- 
provement of  all  horticultural  produc- 
tions during  the  past  century.  In  the 
fruits,  most  wonderful  changes  have  been 
brought  about  in  pears,  apples,  grapes, 
and  the  smaller  fruits.  The  varieties  of 
vegetables  have  been  vastly  multiplied 
and  improved,  while  a  few  new  species 
have  been  introduced.  The  proof  of 

!64 


•ffn  Iftew 


these  statements  is  abundantly  shown 
in  the  markets  of  New  England  and  in 
the  great  demand  for  seeds,  plants,  fruit 
and  ornamental  trees,  not  to  mention  the 
multitudinous  utensils  employed  in  their 
culture.  The  number  of  florists,  and  the 
fine  display  made  in  their  store  windows, 
with  the  numerous  venders  in  the  public 
streets,  testify  to  the  increased  love  for 
flowers  among  the  public. 

The  vast  quantities  of  fruit  which  have 
lately  been  brought  into  New  Kngland, 
not  only  from  the  Southern  and  Western 
States,  but  from  foreign  countries,  and  the 
methods  by  which  much  is  preserved  by 
refrigeration  and  by  other  processes,  may 
be  attributed  to  the  necessity  of  supply- 
ing wants  to  which  all  classes  of  the 
people  have  now  become  habituated,  and 
which  have  resulted  from  the  apprecia- 
tion of  good  fruit  which  was  unknown  to 
the  early  settlers,  and  due  to  the  skilful 
efforts  of  past  members  of  our  Horticul- 
tural Society. 

One  of  its  former  presidents,  who  is 


Evolution  of  Iborticulture 


still  esteemed  for  his  knowledge  and  in- 
terest in  horticultural  pursuits,  says  in 
one  of  his  addresses  to  the  members : 
"Largely  from  the  award  of  prizes  by 
the  Society  and  the  stimulus  of  honor- 
able competition,  has  resulted  the  fact 
that  there  is  a  wider  and  more  general 
distribution  of  the  various  fruits  among 
all  classes  in  pastern  Massachusetts  than 
in  any  other  portion  of  our  country  :  and 
possibly  we  may  extend  the  comparison 
to  any  country.  Of  course  we  do  not 
refer  to  the  extensive  orchards  in  other 
sections,  to  local  communities  of  fruit 
growers,  or  to  the  bountiful  prodigality 
of  Nature  in  particular  fruits  in  favored 
localities.  What  we  do  affirm  is  this  : 
that  our  thousands  of  freeholds,  extend- 
ing from  a  quarter  of  an  acre  up  to  the 
ample  estate,  are,  to  a  good  degree,  sup- 
plied with  the  various  kinds  of  fruits, 
and  that  this  is  in  marked  contrast  with 
the  homes  in  other  portions  of  our  coun- 
try and  in  Europe.  Our  Society  has 
done  a  most  important  work  in  stimulat- 
166 


fn  IRew  England 


ing  a  general  love  of  culture  and  in 
increasing  the  extent  of  planting  upon 
our  small  homesteads.  .  .  .  Who  can 
estimate  the  elevating  influence  and  the 
stability  which  would  be  given  to  the 
laboring  classes,  by  thus  beautifying  their 
homes,  and  strengthening  their  local 
attachments  ?  "  l 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  litera- 
ture of  horticulture  in  New  England  both 
before  and  after  the  establishment  of 
the  society.  Almost  entirely  due  to  its 
agency,  in  addition  to  the  publication, 
of  its  own  Transactions,  several  journals 
and  periodicals  were  started.  Among 
these  should  be  mentioned  the  Ameri- 
can Farmer  and  the  New  England  Far- 
mer.  Two  works,  The  New  American 
Gardener,  by  T.  G.  Fessenden,  and  a 
Treatise  on  the  Cultivation  of  Flowers, 
appeared  early  in  Boston.  Several  horti- 
cultural works  published  in  Europe  were 
republished  here.  In  later  years,  the 

1  Address  of  W.  C.  Strong,  1871,  History  of  the 
Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society •,  1871. 

167 


JSvolution  of  Iborticulture 


publications  in  every  department  of  hor- 
ticulture, especially  in  botany,  have  been 
numerous.  Among  the  writers  on  this 
subject  in  New  England  may  be  noticed 
Cutler,  Peck,  Harris,  Dewey,  Bigelow, 
Boott,  Oakes,  Gray,  Tuckerman,  Good- 
ale.  Upon  other  subjects  relating  to 
every  division,  the  names  of  the  authors 
from  year  to  year  are  too  many  for  these 
pages.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  most 
are  invaluable  to  the  libraries  of  similar 
societies. 

libraries  containing  a  good  collection 
of  publications  are,  as  Bacon  says,  "  the 
shrines  where  all  the  relics  of  the  ancient 
saints  full  of  true  virtue,  and  that  with- 
out delusion  or  imposture,  are  preserved 
and  reposed."  Such  are  essential  to  the 
individual  who  desires  to  keep  up  with  the 
advance  of  an  art,  by  comparing  his  own 
work  with  that  of  others  who  have  pre- 
ceded him  or  who  are  his  contemporaries, 
His  own  experience  may  teach  him  much 
that  would  be  useful,  but  to  command  that 
which  is  not  his  own,  is  to  possess  advan- 
168 


•ffn  U*ew  BnglanD 


tages  which  the  true  scientist  can  alone 
appreciate. 

Thus  the  development  of  horticulture, 
as  far  as  it  concerns  New  England,  has 
been  traced  from  the  period  when  it  began 
to  unfold.  Crude  and  unsatisfactory  as 
it  was  in  those  early  years  of  want  and 
suffering,  still  it  was  by  its  patient  prop- 
agation that  life  was  sustained  and  prog- 
ress gradually  made  by  the  feeble  colonies, 
who  labored  under  the  disadvantages  that 
arose  not  only  from  ignorance  of  the  cli- 
mate but  from  the  want  of  suitable  imple- 
ments, as  also  of  domestic  animals  to 
relieve  them  in  their  labors.  The  Colony 
of  Massachusetts  Bay  had  opportunities 
from  the  first  tnat  those  of  Plymouth  and 
other  settlements  bad  not  possessed. 

Encumbered  as  all  were  at  the  com- 
mencement, the  revolution  of  the  years 
brought  with  them  gradual  improvement 
in  all  that  pertains  to  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil  for  the  mere  production  of  daily 
food,  which  soil  was  by  no  means  gener- 
ally fertile. 

169 


Evolution  of  Ibortfculture 


Horticulture,  in  the  strict  definition  of 
the  word,  is  applied  to  the  culture  of 
gardens,  and  to  these  the  labors  of  the 
early  settlers  were  for  the  most  part 
necessarily  restricted,  consisting  of  the 
raising  of  corn,  a  few  vegetables,  and, 
later,  the  planting  of  occasional  orchards. 
The  instruction  necessary  in  the  art  of 
growing  maize  was  communicated  by  the 
aborigines.  This,  as  might  be  conject- 
ured from  the  descriptions  given,  was 
extremely  simple  and  quickly  acquired 
by  the  early  colonists.  For  the  methods 
of  preserving  and  storing  the  maize  as 
practised  by  the  Indians,  they  had  no 
necessity,  but  in  its  preparation  for  food 
they  obtained  useful  information  from 
their  savage  neighbors. 

After  the  first  years,  having  provided 
for  the  scarcity  of  provisions  by  planting 
more  extensively  the  necessary  crops, 
attention  was  paid  to  the  cultivation  of 
fruit,  which  consisted  of  seedling  varie- 
ties. The  process  of  grafting  was  known 
to  only  a  few,  and  the  means  of  obtaining 
170 


1Fn  IRew 


good  material  for  the  purpose  were  very 
difficult.  The  produce  of  the  seedlings, 
on  account  generally  of  its  inferior  quali- 
ties, was  mostly  converted  into  cider. 

In  the  Massachusetts  Colony,  owing  to 
foresight  in  the  interests  of  the  emigrants 
by  the  agents  abroad,  provision  was  made 
for  their  wants  by  sending  them  stones 
of  all  kinds  of  fruit,  also  various  seeds 
and  roots.  Consequently,  a  better  and 
more  varied  quality  of  fruit  was  secured 
to  them  at  a  comparatively  early  period. 

The  progress  of  horticulture  in  all  its 
branches  was  very  gradual  in  New  Eng- 
land during  more  than  a  century  and  a 
half;  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution, 
however,  a  new  impulse  was  given  to  it, 
which  has  been  maintained  with  increas- 
ing progress  to  the  present  period.  While 
the  same  may  be  said  of  all  Europe 
during  the  identical  era,  yet  the  remark- 
able variation  has  been  more  apparent  in 
this  country,  owing  to  the  characteristics 
of  its  people,  and  to  the  circumstances 
which  have  been  related.  From  a  sterile 


Evolution  of  l)otticulture 


wilderness,  it  is  rapidly  becoming  a  pro- 
ductive garden. 

Having  sufficiently  narrated  the  advance 
of  horticulture  since  the  creation  of  the 
various  societies  devoted  to  the  cause  in 
the  Eastern  States,  it  may  be  well  to  con- 
sider briefly,  to  what  extent  of  perfection 
this  unfolding  of  the  art  is  to  attain,  and 
by  what  means  the  progress  in  improve- 
ment in  the  same  may  safely,  properly, 
and  speedily  be  effected. 

As  regards  education  in  the  art,  it  may 
be  said  that,  while  college  work  fits  a 
man,  if  he  is  properly  trained,  for  a  suc- 
cessful career  in  any  avocation,  without 
practical  knowledge  and  experience,  he 
is  not  an  horticulturist,  nor  is  he  fitted 
for  a  landscape  gardener,  nor  can  he 
compete  with  the  individual  who  has 
these  qualities  combined  with  college 
education.  It  therefore  follows  that 
practical  knowledge  in  horticulture,  as  in 
all  the  arts  and  sciences,  is  the  sine  qua 
non  if  actual  progress  is  to  be  expected. 
In  this  connection  a  word  may  be 
172 


•ffn  flew 


added  as  to  the  value  of  the  Horticultural 
Division  of  the  various  Experiment  Sta- 
tions, for  which  such  large  appropriations 
have  been  made  by  Government. 

There  are  certainly  good  reasons  why 
this  special  division  should  receive  par- 
ticular attention  and  even  more  than  the 
others  that  have  kindred  problems  to  be 
solved.  First,  horticultural  pursuits  have 
more  claims  upon  the  stations,  from  the 
fact  that  the  produce  of  the  garden  and 
orchard  are  more  subject  to  loss  by  dis- 
ease, insects,  and  climate  than  are  those 
which  are  purely  agricultural. 

Not  only  is  this  statement  applicable  to 
the  garden  and  orchard,  but  also  to  simi- 
lar pursuits  conducted  under  glass  struc- 
tures ;  the  extent  to  which  these  have 
reached,  presents  the  most  remarkable 
example  at  the  present  day,  of  the  prog- 
ress of  the  horticultural  art. 

The  first  allusions  to  glass  culture  in 

England    are    found    in    the   essays   of 

Bacon,  where  he  refers  to  the  protection 

of  tender  fruits  by  means  of  a  system  of 

173 


Evolution  of  Ibotticultute 


stove  heating.  Worlidge  refers  to  Eve- 
lyn's Terra,  in  which  remarks  are  made 
upon  proper  heating,  and  in  a  letter  to  a 
friend,  written  in  1668,  by  Evelyn,  who 
says,  "  Stoves  absolutely  destroy  our  con- 
servatories," from  both  of  which  sources 
it  may  be  readily  conjectured  that  the 
science  of  heating  glass  structures  by  the 
proper  use  of  suitable  fuel  was  in  its 
early  infancy,  and  was  not  developed 
until  experience  had  gradually  taught 
the  method  best  adapted  in  those  days  to 
the  object  in  view. 

The  first  greenhouse  in  Boston,  and 
probably  in  New  England,  was  the  one 
built  by  Andrew  Faneuil  in  the  early 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  At  a 
later  period  others  are  mentioned,  nota- 
bly that  of  Gardiner  Greene,  to  which 
reference  has  been  made  in  the  preceding 
pages.  It  was  not  until  the  dawn  of  the 
present  century,  that  the  culture  of  fruits, 
flowers,  and  vegetables  under  glass  was 
gradually  undertaken  and  pursued  with 
decided  success. 

174 


1Tn  IRew 


This  was  especially  the  case  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Boston,  where  there 
were  several  greenhouses  erected  at  an 
early  period.  In  Roxbury,  were  those 
of  the  Lowells  and  of  John  Lemist,  which 
last  was  famous  for  its  camellias  and 
roses,  also  for  its  grapes.  In  Dorchester, 
among  others  which  might  be  men- 
tioned, were  those  of  the  Sumners,  which 
afterwards,  with  the  estate,  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  and 
thereby  brought  forth  fruits  unto  perfec- 
tion. In  Brookline,  during  the  first 
decade  of  this  century,  were  erected  the 
extensive  greenhouses  of  Colonel  Per- 
kins and  of  his  brother,  in  which  were 
cultivated,  with  marked  success,  flowers 
and  fruits,  particularly  the  Hamburg  and 
Muscat  grapes.  In  Watertown,  the  con- 
servatories of  Mr.  Gushing,  for  their  ex- 
cellent construction,  and  culture  of  fruits, 
flowers,  and  vegetables,  had  a  widespread 
reputation.  At  a  later  period,  in  Brighton, 
were  those  of  Joseph  Breck,  devoted  to 
the  production  of  ornamental  and  green- 
175 


Bvolutfon  of  Iborticulture 


house  plants,  and  also  the  glass-houses  of 
Horace  Gray,  the  most  extensive  then 
known  in  the  United  States,  in  which 
were  annually  produced  enormous  quan- 
tities of  the  choicest  foreign  grapes.  The 
property  afterwards  came  into  the  posses- 
sion of  Mr.  W.  C.  Strong,  who,  under  one 
continuous  roof  of  glass,  containing  18,- 
ooo  square  feet,  raised  a  great  abundance 
of  roses,  carnations,  and  other  flowers 
that  were  sent  to  the  markets  of  New 
York  and  Boston. 

On  the  estate  of  Mr.  Hunnewell  at 
Wellesley,  the  conservatories  and  houses 
devoted  to  every  variety  of  plant  life, 
and  known  far  and  wide  for  the  methodi- 
cal manner  in  which  they  are  constantly 
maintained,  have  been  previously  noticed. 

At  the  present  day,  the  amount  of  the 
horticultural  productions  under  glass  cul- 
ture in  Massachusetts,  especially  about 
Boston,  is  almost  beyond  calculation,  the 
markets  being  thereby  abundantly  sup- 
plied with  the  greatest  variety  of  vege- 
tables and  the  smaller  fruits. 


The  various  Experiment  Stations  have 
proved  a  great  stimulus  to  the  increase 
and  success  of  these  structures,  by  means 
of  scientific  investigations  diligently 
pursued,  the  results  of  which  are  given 
by  publications,  many  of  which  being 
well  written,  prove  satisfactory,  practical 
guides. 

In  contending  with  the  various  insects 
and  diseases  which  have  so  rapidly  in- 
creased during  the  last  few  years,  these 
same  stations  have  become  most  excel- 
lent allies  in  various  ways.  Among  the 
publications  issued  by  the  Horticultural 
and  Entomological  Divisions  of  the  vari- 
ous Institutions,  those  of  Cornell  Univer- 
sity may  be  mentioned  as  excellent  models. 
With  others,  The  Japanese  Plums,  The 
Spraying  of  Orchards,  Peachyellows,  The 
Dwarf  Lima  Beans •,  The  Crysanthe- 
mumSy  Leaf  Curl  and  Plum  Pockets, 
The  Peach  Industry,  The  China  Asters, 
The  Quince,  On  Certain  Grass  Insects, 
are  practical  and  useful. 

The  investigators  connected  with  the 
12  177 


Evolution  of  Iborttculture 


Hatcli  Experiment  Station  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Agricultural  College  have  also 
published  valuable  papers.  Among  these, 
On  Fungicides  and  Insecticides,  Four- 
lined  Leaf-Bug,  Tests  of  Grapes,  have 
proved  ad  vant  ageous  to  all  interested.  The 
important  subject  of  fertilizers,  both 
natural  and  artificial,  their  value  to  dif- 
ferent crops,  the  mode  of  application, 
and  requisite  amount,  has  received  much 
careful  research  by  competent  persons 
connected  with  the  several  State  stations. 
The  results  have  been  most  satisfactory. 

Next,  the  taxation  upon  the  land 
devoted  to  these  purposes  is  proportion- 
ately higher  than  it  is  upon  that  appro- 
priated to  ordinary  farming.  The  outlay 
for  labor,  fertilizing  materials,  imple- 
ments, and  seeds  is  also  larger.  However, 
as  time  advances,  more  reliable  and 
satisfactory  results  in  the  interests  of 
horticulture  may  be  expected  from  the 
stations,  in  which  the  investigations  will 
be  better  organized  and  completed. 

At  the  present  time,  it  is  impossible  to 
178 


1fn  1ftew  Bnglanfc 


foresee  the  advance  that  horticulture 
promises  to  make.  Already  among  the 
enterprising  people  of  New  England, 
enormous  strides  forward  of  progress  are 
constantly  being  made.  The  conditions 
of  the  soil,  and  its  adaptation  to  the 
better  growth  of  plants,  the  relation  of 
light  to  their  production,  the  effects  of 
irrigation,  and  the  warmth  of  the  soil  by 
artificial  means,  are  among  the  subjects 
which  are  being  investigated,  not  to 
speak  of  the  knowledge  already  acquired 
by  examination  into  many  other  processes. 

The  possibilities  of  horticulture  seem 
almost  infinite.  The  misty  atmosphere 
that  now  envelops  many  of  these  is 
destined  to  be  cleared  by  means  of  botani- 
cal research  and  patient  investigation. 

Thus  the  unfolding  of  horticulture  in 
New  England,  as  in  all  other  parts  of 
the  globe,  will  become  better  understood 
and  appreciated.  As  the  germination  of 
the  plant,  from  its  most  rudimentary 
condition  until  its  full  completion  and 
attainment  of  purpose  for  which  created, 
179 


Evolution  of  t>orticulture 


may  be  followed,  taking  into  considera- 
tion, also,  that  the  elements  of  its  growth 
may  pass  from  old  to  new  parts,  and  from 
generation  to  generation :  so  the  evolu- 
tion of  gardening  has  been  here  outlined 
from  the  rudimentary  condition  that  it 
presented  upon  these  shores  of  Massachu- 
setts Bay  more  than  six  generations  since, 
to  the  advanced  position  it  now  occupies 
in  the  last  decade  of  the  present  century. 
It  is  self-evident  that  at  every  stage  of 
evolution,  both  in  the  natural  and  in  the 
spiritual  world,  all  its  processes  have  had 
a  wisely  ordained  beginning  and  a  con- 
tinuous omnipotent  guidance. 


THE  END. 


180 


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